Supreme Championship Wrestling

SCW World Championship

2 RP Limit for singles

No word limits

Deadline: 11:59:59 PM ET Thursday, February 17, 2022 (NOTE DEADLINE)

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February 12th, 2022
London, England
Off Camera
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For “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock, challenging for the SCW World Championship in her hometown of London, England would have been a dream come true. It just about came true just over two weeks ago on Breakdown when Selena Frost was set to defend that championship against Braddock in London on Breakdown. But then all hell broke loose with the interference of Twin Magic, Holly Adams and her trademarked cronies, and The Connection. The World Championship picture seems to be more crowded than ever with Kimberly Williams, Kandis, Autumn Valentine, Holly Adams, and Brittany Lohan all wanting a piece of the reigning world champion Selena Frost. But The British Bombshell still wants her one on one opportunity. She still wants her title shot. And thanks to the current SCW commissioner Shaun Cruze, she will get that opportunity in Tampa, Florida. It may not be her birthplace, but it is just a five hour drive from her current residence in Miami. Glory still feels as if she has homefield advantage and she still feels as if all of the momentum in the world is behind her as she heads into this opportunity, an opportunity that does not come around very often.

The announcement of the title match was made in Nashville. Immediately following that Breakdown Glory Braddock made travel arrangements to go back to London, England. During big matches like this, she always returns to her old stomping grounds in order to get mentally prepared. London, specifically at her father’s wrestling school, is where she would also get mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared for all of the big matches of her career. Every world championship match she has had, she would always make it a point to visit the place that groomed her and helped make her into who she is today. Traveling to the Glenn Braddock Wrestling School also serves a dual purpose for The British Bombshell; not only does she get to prepare for her own big championship match against Selena Frost, but she also can take care of another matter almost as important; namely, Fiona Osbourne.

Fiona Osbourne was originally a model working for her cousin Kayla Jones’s modeling agency. But when she learned that Fiona looked up to Glory and wanted to follow in her footsteps and become a wrestler herself, Glory pulled some strings and helped her get in to her wrestling school. But now Kayla wants her cousin to take things a step further. She wants Braddock to let Fiona move in with her, she wants Braddock to personally mentor Fiona. But Glory isn’t certain that Fiona would want this; Glory isn’t even sure that she is ready to take on such a responsibility herself. She recently stepped away from her duties as the Chief Executive Officer in her company so she could focus on her original passion, her love of wrestling. Thus far it has proven fruitful. She defeated Syren at Body, Heart, and Soul to put herself into the SCW World Title picture. But would this just be a distraction? Or, as her cousin and others close to her seem to indicate, could this be just what Glory Braddock needs?

Currently Glory Braddock is approaching the front doors of her father’s wrestling school in London, England. The British Bombshell is dressed in a royal purple silk blouse, a black knee length skirt, sheer panyhose, and black patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. Braddock is carrying a gym bag with her which contains her workout gear. The beautiful blonde pushes the doors open and steps inside. Immediately she is met with the familiar sounds and noises of her students training. Fists and feet hitting heavy bags, people slamming hard against the wrestling mats, and even the loud overbearing booming voice of Mark O’Brian shouting at the younger students. She has so many wonderful memories of this place. Just being here makes her feel comfortable and at peace.

Braddock spots her good friend, Sophie O’Brian, standing several feet away talking to a student. Upon closer inspection Braddock can see that this student is none other than Fiona Osbourne, the young girl Glory came here to speak with. Glory whistles loudly to get their attention. Sophie turns and locks eyes with her long time friend. “Sophie, come see me in my office for a bit…”

Sophie nods her head. Braddock turns and walks towards her office. The British Bombshell throws open her office door and steps inside. She drops the gym bag down near her desk. Then she sits down at her desk. Shortly thereafter Sophie enters the office. O’Brian is typically stoic, usually has a great poker face, but even she cannot hold back her grin upon seeing her best friend. “It’s great to see you, mate.” Sophie remarks as she sits down. “What brings you here? I thought you would be busy chasing the SCW World Championship?”

Braddock chuckles. “I don’t need to chase it, Sophie. I have my one on one opportunity next week on Breakdown from Tampa. It will be me and Selena, one on one, just as we wanted from the start. And you should know better than anyone when I have a world title match, whether I am challenging or defending, I will make damn sure to stop by this place first.”

“Yes, that is true.” Sophie remarks, nodding her head. “Whenever it comes to championships, when the pressure is on, you always come back to your old stomping grounds. You always remember where you came from.”

“Right…” Braddock sighs and shakes her head. That is the problem. She isn’t entirely sure that she does remember who she is. A part of her believes that she has forgotten what it means to be a Braddock. That is one of the motivations behind taking in Fiona. That was the motivation behind leaving behind the corporate life. She wants to rediscover herself, she wants to find the old Glory Braddock. Glory’s Northern Irish friend notices the concern on her face and furrows her brow out of confusion.

“What’s wrong, Gloria?”

“It’s nothing, mate. Nothing at all.”

Sophie stares daggers through Glory’s heart. “You know you can’t lie to me. I know you better than your know yourself. So tell me, what’s wrong?”

“You wouldn’t understand, Sophie.”

“I understand more than you think.”

“No, you really don’t.” Glory responds with a sense of frustration in her voice. “You are always certain of yourself. You never once have had doubts about yourself. You have never once had an identity crisis.”

“An identity crisis?” Sophie repeats. Glory nods her head. Sophie chuckles. “I had an identity crisis once. It seems like an eternity but I did once have an identity crisis of my own. It was when I ran away from home to rid myself of the constant physical abuse I endured at the hands of my drunkard father.”

“I know the story…” Glory says, her voice trailing off.

“I don’t think you know the full story. You see, my mother was very traditional. She experienced the same abuse but she just took it. She viewed herself and her role as just an object, the homemaker. Being around that your entire life is enough to make you believe it. When I ran away, a part of me wanted to go back.” Sophie points at Glory. “But your father taught me that I could be anything I wanted. He taught me to be a fighter. Your father made who I am today. So yes, I know all about having an identity crisis because your father helped me through it.”

“Good for you, mate, but the thing is the great Glenn Braddock is dead and gone. He’s not here to help me.”

“He is here.” She touches Glory’s chest. Glory swats her hand away.

“Since when did you get deep and emotional?”

“When it comes to your father, I cannot help it. He did save my life.”

“I know…” Braddock sighs “...look, as fun as it is to debate you, I just don’t have time nor do I have the patience. I have a lot to do before I can begin my own training regimen. So would you mind retrieving Fiona for me?”

“Fiona?” Sophie is surprised by the request. She arches her brow. “What for?”

“None of your business, mate.”

Sophie stares a hole through her best friend. Glory is rarely this secretive with her. Something is up, she just doesn’t know what. Sophie decides to pursue it and instead just nods her head. She rises to her feet.

“I’ll go tell her you want to see her.”

Braddock leans back in her chair as she watches Sophie turns and exit her office. Glory waits and contemplates what is about to happen. Was she wrong to hide the truth from Sophie? Sophie is the prime example of what is about to happen. Glenn Braddock, Glory’s father, once took in two people who desperately needed help; namely, Sophie and Mark O’Brian. That is how Glory came to be good friends with them. Glenn taught them the wrestling trade. He did this to help them. His charity work always went unnoticed by the public. To be honest, his charity work even went unnoticed by his own family. For the longest time Glory thought that the legacy of Glenn Braddock was about being the best wrestler ever. The obsessive drive to be the best often led her to making crucial mistakes in her life. But is there something deeper to being a Braddock than just being the best wrestler she can be?

These thoughts are rushing through the mind of Glory Braddock as she sits and waits for Fiona to arrive. A few moments later and she hears the door opening. She watches as Fiona Osbourne stepping into the room. Her brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail, she is wearing a white tanktop and gray shorts. Sweat is rolling down on her face, indicating that the young girl has been through a rigorous workout today. Fiona grins from ear to ear upon seeing Glory.

“Oh, uh, hi Glory! I wasn’t expecting to see you here!”

“Come off it, mate. Sophie told you I was here.” Glory says with a smirk. Fiona nods her head.

“Yeah, you’re right. I just…”

“It’s ok.” Glory motions to the empty chair that Sophie had just been sitting in a few minutes earlier. “Go ahead and have a seat. I want to talk to you for a moment.”

“Uh, ok…” Fiona nervously sits down. She looks up to Glory. Now Glory wants to talk to her. Of course she would be nervous.

“So, Fiona, I have to admit that I had my doubts when you said your true calling in life was to be a wrestler. I mean, you were a good model with my cousin’s agency. You were making good money and a good living for yourself. Going from modeling to wrestling isn’t exactly an easy transition.”

“I know, but it is what I always wanted to do.”

“Right and it isn’t like the transition from model to wrestler has never been made. My cousin Kayla did it. A former associate of mine, Sienna Swann, did it. Both former world champions. But they had the determination and will to accomplish their goal.”

“I have that same determination, Ms. Bra…I mean Glory…” Fiona says, catching herself as she remembers that Glory doesn’t want her to be so formal.

“Well then convince me. Tell me how things have been going with you at the school.”

“Well I’ve been sparring a lot lately…”

“With the other students?”

“No…” Fiona’s voice trails off. Glory grins knowingly.

“With Sophie?”

“Yup!” Fiona says excitedly as she nods her head. “And Mark, and Randall!”

“Excellent! All three are former champions in their own right and Sophie is a former World Champion. The mere fact that you have worked your way up to their level is impressive.”

“And I’m keeping up with them. I mean, they’re far more experienced than me so I lose…often…but I keep up.”

“Losing is fine, Fiona. It’s just so long as you are learning and specifically you learn why you lost. Are you learning?”

“Every day.”

“Great.” Glory remarks. There is a pause, an awkward pause as Glory senses that she needs to be honest with Fiona about why she is really here. A few moments later and Braddock finally decides to tell the truth. “Ok, I’m going to be honest with you here, Fiona…”

“I’m not in trouble, am I?”

“Nothing of the sort, love.” Glory says, shaking her head. “It’s something else…”

“What is it?”

“Uh, it’s about my cousin. She told me about the situation with you and your foster father.”

Immediately Fiona’s mood changes. She had been very bright, bubbly, and excited to see Glory. Now that her foster father, Todd Osbourne, has been brought up the mood of Fiona changes to a much more somber one. Fiona sighs deeply and shakes her head. “I really wish she hadn’t mentioned him.”

“Kayla was just worried about you.”

“Yeah, well that was supposed to remain a secret between me and her.” Fiona rises up to her feet and turns to walk out the door. “I’m sorry, but…”

“Fiona, wait!” Glory calls out after her. Fiona was about to open the door but stops. “Please, sit back down and let’s talk about this.”

Fiona stands there and thinks about this for a moment. She isn’t sure if she should return. But she turns and looks back at Glory. She can tell by Braddock’s eyes that The British Bombshell just wants to help. Fiona nods her head and then goes and sits back down. Glory leans forward. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“Todd is not my father. He never will be. He doesn’t know how to be a father. He just knows how to make money off the government by fostering a child and he knows how to use and abuse that father to make money off of her. Did Kayla tell you everything he did?”

“She told me you lost your parents and that you were placed into Todd’s care. She told me that Todd forced you to become a model so he could live a nice life off of your success.”

Fiona nods her head. “That’s right and I had to endure hell for many years.” Tears form in the young girl’s eyes. Glory hands her a tissue. Fiona takes it and wipes her eyes. “As soon as I turned eighteen I decided I would never again go back to Todd. I told Kayla about my situation and I was surprised that she was willing to keep me hidden from him.”

Braddock doesn’t tell Fiona, but there is a good reason Kayla chose to help Fiona. It is the same reason why Kayla was so insistent upon Glory helping Fiona. Kayla wants to help Fiona because Kayla herself endured a similar situation. Kayla was forced to be a model by her foster father. Kayla’s foster father abused her and then when Kayla ran away from him at the age of eighteen he stalked her. The two situations are damn near identical. Wrestling saved Kayla’s life. She learned how to be a wrestler and she was able to protect herself and make a living for herself. Hearing that Fiona wants to be a wrestler, not a model, was enough to motivate Kayla into helping her. The situation is also similar to Sophie and Mark’s family situation. They had a parental figure that was abusive. They ran away from home and they were lucky to have Glenn Braddock take care of them and give them the help they needed to get away and stay away from their abusive family situation. Is Glory now prepared to follow in her father’s footsteps by helping someone in an abusive situation?

“Kayla told me that you’re afraid your foster father is trying to stalk you.” Glory states. Fiona nods her head.

“Yeah, I’m worried about that.” Fiona admits nervously. “I think I’m safe here in England but…” she shrugs her shoulders “...I just don’t know. He always seems to find me.”

“What if I told you that I know how to keep you safe from your foster father?”

“How could you do that?”

“You want to be a wrestler. You want to stay safe and hidden away from Todd. Then why don’t you kill two birds with one stone and move in with me.”

“You mean in Miami?” Fion asks. Glory nods her head.

“Yes, that’s right. I even have a plane ticket for you if you decide to leave with me on my trip back to Florida on Monday.”

“Wow, well that’d be…” Fiona is stunned by the request, so much so that she cannot seem to find the appropriate words, but then after thinking about it for a few moments Fiona shakes her head “...but I can’t. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You wouldn’t be a burden.”

“You have a daughter you’re raising, you run a company, you are a wrestler and soon to be challenging for a World Championship in Tampa.” Fiona shakes her head all the more vehemently. “No, I’d just be a distraction.”

Glory sighs as she reaches out and takes Fiona’s hands, hands that are trembling with fear. “You would not be a distraction. Look, let me tell you about my own father. His name was Glenn Braddock and he started this wrestling school. Like you he had dreams. His dream was to be an Olympic champion.”

“Did he ever compete at the Olympics?” Fiona asks. Glory shakes her head.

“No, he suffered a back injury during a match that ended his career. He was lost for awhile, not sure what to do with his life. But then he shifted his focus from achieving selfish goals for himself to helping others achieve their goals. That’s why he built this place, so he could train future wrestlers. Sophie and Mark out there, they were two of his first three students.”

“Who was the third?”

“You’re looking at her.” Glory says with a wink. “Anyway, my dad had already been supporting Sophie and Mark financially when they ran away from home. Their father was a drunk and beat them regularly. They needed to get away and my dad paid for them to have a place to stay. Then when he opened this place he began training them as wrestlers so that they would have the skills to support themselves. So you see, Fiona? I am just doing what my own father would have done.”

“So my training…”

“It will continue.” Glory says, nodding her head. “But I will be personally training you in Miami.”

There is a pause as Fiona thinks it over. She pulls her hands away from Glory and shakes her head. “I just…I’m not sure…I mean, I get what you’re saying, and it sounds good but, I am safe here in England. My father isn’t likely to find me here.”

“Didn’t you just say he always manages to find you?”

“True…”

“I can’t guarantee that he will never find you, mate, but I CAN guarantee your safety. You are your own woman now, he is not your guardian anymore. You can make your own decisions and you do not have to listen to him. Just like you do not have to listen to me. I do think coming with me is the best idea for you but I can’t make that decision for you.”

“Traveling with you and training with you would be a great educational experience.” Fiona admits.

“You don’t have to make a decision right now.” Glory says. She reaches into her desk and produces an envelope. She hands it across the desk to Fiona. “Take it. Inside is a plane ticket and a ticket to Breakdown in Tampa.”

“You mean?”

“Right. Even if you don’t decide to take me up on my offer you’re still invited to come to Tampa and watch me fight for the SCW World Championship.”

“That…” Fiona’s eyes grow wide and her grin grows all that much larger “...that’d be an honor!”

“Just think about it, ok? You don’t have to make a decision right away but I promise you that I will keep you safe.”

“Thank you, Glory!”

“Don’t mention it, mate. Now go on, Sophie is probably worried about you.”

Fiona nods and quickly rises up out of her chair and makes her exit. Glory is once again left alone to her own thoughts. She was pressured into making this offer to Fiona. Glory still isn’t sure that this is the best thing to do. But a part of her feels good about this. Now that the offer is out there, she feels at peace. For the first time in a long time, Glory Braddock feels good about something other than winning a championship. Maybe she has lost her way? But if she has, then perhaps she is close to getting back on track?

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February 12th, 2022
London, England
Off Camera
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Several hours have passed since Glory Braddock’s meeting with her young student Fiona Osbourne. It is Fiona’s desire to be a wrestler and Glory has made the offer to personally take her under her wing, let her move in with her in her home at Miami, and travel with her as she learns the trade personally with Glory Braddock herself. Everyone from her cousin Kayla, mother Mary Ford, and even her mother’s priest in Massachusetts seemed convinced that Glory should do something like this, something to help someone in need. Fiona definitely is in need; she is in need of finding a way to make a living for herself and thus escape the grips of her foster father Todd Osbourne. Glory has offered to take in Fiona and help personally help her out and despite her initial reluctance, Glory now feels at peace about this move.

Now that Fiona, the other students, and the trainers have all left Glory is free to use this school and its equipment to prepare for her championship match against Selena Frost. Seeing Fiona may have been the primary reason she came back here to London but training for a big world championship match in Tampa, Florida is almost as important in the mind of The British Bombshell. She has been SCW World Champion once before, for only a few minutes after dethroning Bree Lancaster in the gauntlet match. But she immediately lost to Chris Cannon. Some doubt the validity of her title reign. Braddock has proven herself since by defeating the likes of Syren at Body, Heart, and Soul. Now she can fully and permanently eliminate any and all doubts by defeating the reigning champion Selena Frost for the gold. Doing so won’t be easy, but taking on tough challenges and overcoming those tough challenges is another thing that defines the Braddock legacy. And that is what Glory is here to do, to remind herself what it means to be a Braddock.

Currently The British Bombshell is in the ring dressed in her workout attire of purple short and a white t-shirt. Braddock is running the ropes as part of her exercise routine. There is no one to spar with right now so she decides to work on her speed and agility. She leaps off her feet and does a back flip off the second rope and lands on her feet. She charges towards a corner, leaps to the very top, and does a back flip off the top and again lands on her feet. The way Braddock lands she ends up facing a picture of her father. Glenn Braddock and his grizzled features, the always present sneer on his face, it brings a smile to the face of Glory Braddock. She leans up against the ropes and chuckles.

“Sorry about that, dad. I know you absolutely detest all the jumping around and flipping about that you see in wrestling nowadays. Hell, you kicked my friend Matty out of your school because he preferred that style to what you taught.” Braddock says winking at the portrait. “But don’t worry, when it comes to the SCW World Title and Selena Frost, I’ll probably dance with what brought me. I’ll out-wrestle her, I’ll use submissions, and God willing, I will win.”

Braddock bows her head. “I mean, that’s what wrestling is all about, right? Winning. Being the best. That’s what you taught me, right dad? Or did I lose my way? Have I forgotten one of your lessons?” Braddock chuckles. “Look at me, I’m talking to a bloody picture hanging on a wall! No wonder I am having a bloody identity crisis. How can I figure out who I am supposed to be when I have already lost my damn mind?!”

“Do you always talk to yourself when you’re training?” The voice is familiar. Glory recognizes it immediately. She turns around and finds her younger sister, Julia Braddock, approaching. She is dressed in denim jeans, black boots, and a white silk blouse. She has just walked into the facility and is approaching the ring. Glory grins knowingly.

“Not always…” She sighs deeply “...just whenever I’m alone, or when I start to miss dad. Both of which seem to happen more frequently lately.”

Julia nods her head. She steps up onto the ring apron and then steps through the ropes into the ring. “Why are you here so late?”

“I have a World Title Match coming up next week, Jules. And there’s no better place to get some hard work in than right here at dad’s school.”

“Yeah, I heard about your title match. I also heard what you were saying about an identity crisis. And I heard that you wanted Fiona to move in with you.”

Glory sighs and nods her head. She had forgotten that Fiona has been staying with Julia recently during her trainings in London at the Braddock Wrestling School. Julia walks over to the side of the ring Glory is at and she leans up against them. She stares into her sister’s eyes. “Are you ok?”

“I’m ok…”

“Despite having an identity crisis?”

“Yes.” Glory rolls her eyes. “Look, I admit that there is a small part of me that thinks I lost my way. And maybe this right here, coming back here to this place, seeing that man…” she points to the picture on the wall of their father “...maybe that is just what I need to remember who I am and get back on the RIGHT path.”

“Does taking Fiona into your home has anything to do with it?”

“Maybe it does? Julia, you and me and Sophie, we were all trained by the same man. We were all trained by Glenn Braddock. Sophie graduated as a cold hearted emotionless sociopath focused only on achieving her goals at any cost. You and I were different. We started as idealists. We thought we could make positive changes for the business. But I look at what I have done over the past two years or so and I question whether I have lived up to those ideals. I look at some of the things I have done to stay on top in the corporate world and in the wrestling world, even the things I did to you…” tears begin to form in Glory’s eyes. Julia immediately shakes her head and embraces her sister in a tight hug.

“You don’t need to apologize, Glory. We’ve already made peace time and time again.”

“But the fact is that I was willing to hurt my own family, to hurt innocent people, all in some misguided notion of what I thought was the right thing to do. I realize now that I wasn’t trying to do the right thing, I was trying to maintain as much power as humanly possible.”

“And you think that taking in Fiona will suddenly make up for all of that?”

“This isn’t about making up for anything.” Glory says defiantly, shaking her head. “I cannot live in the past. I must learn from my mistakes and move on. But I can try to ensure that the monster I had become will never again return. So I need to become that idealist again. I need to find that old Glory Braddock again, the young girl who got into this business to make a positive difference and not just to be some tyrant. Our father, for all of his flaws one thing he did that was one hundred percent wholesome, one hundred percent good and selfless, was when he took Sophie and Mark and almost literally saved their lives. That’s all I want to do for Fiona.”

“That’s all well and good but…” Julia stares into her sister’s eyes “...what about Amelia?”

“Amelia?” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “She is very enthusiastic, maybe too enthusiastic, but still, she is a good wrestler. What about her?”

Julia sighs deeply. She places a hand on Glory’s shoulder. “Look, what you want to do for Fiona is great. It is a very noble thing to do, just like what our dad did for Sophie and Mark was a good and noble thing to do. But you were right, our dad had many flaws and faults, one of them was that he played favorites.”

“Julia…” Glory’s voice trails off. She knows where her sister is going with this and doesn’t want to hear it. Julia, though, is insistent.

“Our father favored you over me. You were his favorite because you took to wrestling quicker than me, more naturally than I did. He played favorites.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Glory. It wasn’t your fault. But please don’t play favorites with Amelia and Fiona. If Fiona takes you up on this offer that means she will be traveling the road with you, just like Amelia does. Do not play favorites between the two. Do not make the mistake our dad made.”

The British Bombshell realizes that her sister raises a good point. For all of the good their father did, his biggest mistake was playing favorites with his two children. It led to many years of bad feelings and feuding between the two of them before they finally made peace. She cannot afford to make that mistake here and now when she herself has people who look up to her, people like Amelia Stone and Fiona Osbourne. Braddock looks into her sister’s eyes and nods her head.

“I know…and I promise I won’t make that mistake.”

“Good.” Julia leans over and embraces her sister in a tight hug. “Because I agree, helping Fiona could be the best thing you’ve done in a long time. And I do want this to work out, not just for her sake but for yours.”

“Thanks, Jules.” Glory says as she smiles warmly. At the beginning of the day she wasn’t sure that taking Fiona in and mentoring her would be a good idea. But now she is beginning to view this as an opportunity to give back, to help a desperate young woman in need. This is an opportunity for Glory to rediscover herself and remind herself who and what she really is; but ultimately this decision is in the hands of Fiona Osbourne. She cannot make the decision for her.

Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
February 12th, 2022
9:12pm


“Why won’t you let me come with you?” 

The redhead whined as she sat against the windowsill, her hands finding purchase against the wood as her emerald eyes refocused from watching the loud storm that thundered and raged outside to the interior of the room she stood in. Even now, as she put her focus towards the woman in the maroon nightgown, the redhead could still hear the sounds of rainfall and thunder behind her. They almost seemed fitting for her own feelings at the moment.

“I do want you to go with me.” Selena countered as she sat on the large black and red bench that stood in front of her vanity counter and mirror, the Snow Queen having just finished drying her hair from the shower she and Deanna had shared together. “But Jean specifically asked that I go by myself. I don’t know why, but if Jean is the one asking, then there has to be a reason for it.”

“Or he doesn’t trust me enough…”

The grumble came from Deanna, who crossed her arms over her chest and the dark-green nightgown she wore, similar to Selena’s but less revealing of the tops of the shoulders. She had thought her words were quiet enough, but her emerald eyes spied Selena’s hands, which were combing platinum-blonde locks with a silver, thick comb, pause in their actions – making it clear that the older Frost had definitely heard her wife’s words. With a long sigh, Selena placed the comb back on the counter of her vanity before lifting her legs over the bench to turn and face her wife. 

“It’s not that.” She sighed. “Least I don’t think it should be. If he truly thinks that then I will talk to him about it.” Slowly, the Snow Queen pushed herself to her feet. “And I mean that. I will sit him down and put him in his place.” She promised, reaching out towards the shorter redhead to gently grasp her wife’s crossed elbows. “I hardly think he has a right to think that – he hasn’t gone to prison and survived. Or half of what you have done in SCW.” She smiled, leaning forward to playfully nuzzle her nose against Deanna’s, earning a restrained giggle from the redhead.

“Stop it.” Deanna whined playfully, though her head turned left and right to nuzzle the taller Selena back.
“Mmmm…” purred Selena teasingly. “My brave little knight.”
“Queen’s Guard.” The younger woman corrected, her eyes drifting up to stare deeply into Selena’s sapphire ones.

The nickname had come to Deanna some time ago, during the End of the Year Royale. Words like ‘protector’ and ‘equalizer’ – those had been used to describe Deanna long before, ever since she had tackled Christy Matthews during Selena’s match with Syren almost a year ago at the “Be Careful What You Wish For” pay-per-view. In truth, both women had lost track of how many times Deanna had appeared, ready to fight and protect her beloved wife, though only when the situation called for it (ambushes and the like), for neither woman wanted the Snow Queen to fall into the same ‘reputation’ as Holly Adams/The Brand and other such cowards of the past as Sienna Swann, Bree Lancaster, Ravyn Taylor and, until recently, Syren. Still, there was no denying the stronger and larger part Deanna now played in the career of Selena Frost. And none of that equated to the years of turmoil her beloved had suffered in Frankfurt Prison III. 

So for ANYONE to discredit her Deanna? To call her weak or incapable, Selena could only dismiss it as a blatant, ignorant lie and she refused to believe a dear friend like Jean Black would think so lowly and ill of Deanna. No, there must be a reason… she thought to herself.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Deanna’s eyes were suddenly bright as she scampered out of the bedroom.
“Quietly!” Selena hissed in a whisper after her, a chastising sound. “The children are sleeping.”

Immediately, she heard Deanna’s steps suddenly slow and soften as the redhead moved down the hall and down the winding staircase, to where Selena was not sure. What had they been talking about? Deanna’s strength? Yes, that’s right. Deanna had corrected her when Selena had called her a ‘knight’, opting for that name she had created at End of the Year Battle Royale, “The Queen’s Guard”.

Personally, Selena loved the name. It was unique and fitting for Deanna and worked in the same way Selena’s “Winter’s Knight” did, but at the same time it was different. It said something Deanna could call her own. Still, it also meant that Deanna was becoming more and more of a wrestler, an SCW superstar, if she wasn’t one already, and if her arguments with Kim Williams on Twitter were any indication, others were beginning to see her as that as well.

It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Because while Selena, as she had moments ago, believed in her wife and how strong the redhead was, there was no ignoring the worry and fear that filled her at the thought of her beloved fighting monsters and wrestlers like Selena had over the past eight years. 

The idea of Deanna fighting Kim Williams (and all the weapons that woman brought)
The idea of Deanna fighting Kandis or Tommy Valentine – or, Odin forbid, both of them
The idea of Deanna fighting Giovanni Aries or Cid Turner

The House of Frost had held its own against the Brand with Jordan Majors on their side last time, but a ‘no-contest’ was not a victory and things had not gone out of control with weapons like they could have in past matches associated with the Brand and Selena. Bad enough I have to deal with Holly a third time… Selena sighed, returning to her bench in front of her vanity mirror, her eyes taking in the tired expression of the woman before her.

The situation regarding the world title had been… well, she couldn’t say ‘resolved’ (though she wanted to)… the best word was ‘handled’ in this case. The situation regarding the World title had been handled. First, and perhaps the biggest news, was that Selena was set to fight in a double jeopardy match – first time she had ever been in such a match as far as she could remember. A match that involved practically every person that had so much as Tweeted an argument regarding the world title and their ‘deserving a title shot for it’. Kandis, Autumn, Glory, Holly, even Kim and Brittany Lohan. And while the numbers didn’t quite make sense (There were 7 but apparently it was to be two matches that were triple threat being determined…), Selena could not even allow herself to look that far ahead.

She had to deal with the next episode of Breakdown first…

With a sigh, Selena reached for the comb to continue combing her hair, but her hand didn’t make it to the counter until she heard her wife’s steps again, drawing closer to their room. She barely had enough time to turn her head before she spied her wife again, the red hair and emerald-green-dress flowing with Deanna’s movements.

“Scootch over!” Deanna ordered, holding up the box in her hands before shuffling across the carpeted floor to where Selena sat. Quickly, Selena shifted to the far side of the bench, allowing Deanna to plop-sit right next to her. “You gotta check this out!” she bit her lower lip, the excitement clear in her voice, almost enough to make Selena laugh at its purity.

“What is this?” she asked as she eyed the simple, cardboard box, noticing the logo on it. “And why is it from SCW Headquarters?”
“That’s who made it!” Deanna exclaimed as she opened the folds of the box, seeming already having opened it earlier that day, Selena reasoned, in order to pull out the fabric. “Ta-dah!” the redhead exclaimed, turning the shirt to reveal the logo in front!

The shirt was dark-green mostly, but had a black and silver helmet of a knight that stood in the middle staring to the side in a profile shot. What caught Selena’s attention, most of all, were two things. First, where a plumage should be, instead was a mane of radiant red hair, as if the knight was choosing their own hair as their decoration. The second thing she noticed were the words that spread across the top and bottom of the helmet.

“Deanna Frost…” Selena read, her pale fingers tracing over the words as she read them. “The Queen’s Guard.” She turned her head towards Deanna. “What is this?” She asked in pure curiosity. Before her eyes, she spied her beloved redhead nibbing on the nail of her thumb, seemingly captivated with Selena’s reaction.

“It’s…the first prototype…” Deanna replied. “Of my shirt.”
“Your shirt?” Deanna asked, turning again to admire the logo. It was simple, at least compared to the ones she had seen on superstars like Syren and Braddock. There weren’t any grand background designs or elegant catchphrases or whatever. It was, in many ways, as simple as some of her past, and current, “Believe It!” t-shirts. 

“Merchandise wanted to do something.” Deanna explained, shyly reaching up to scratch the back of her head. “After that six-person match against the Brand, they wanted to start making some stuff. They asked for my name, nickname, catchphrase-”

Selena’s head jerked her head to stare back at her wife. “You have a catchphrase?!” she asked, her voice full of delight and surprise. “Oh, please tell me it! Tell me what you have! I have to know this!” she was bouncing on her rump, her eyes wide as she gave Deanna her full attention.

“I… I don’t have one.” Deanna admitted shyly. “I could only give them ‘The Queen’s Guard’…that was the only thing I felt good about.”
“Oh.” Selena tried, backpedaling a little. “Well, that’s okay!” she offered quickly, holding up the shirt. “You don’t need to have one, especially this early in your career. It took me months and months to get ‘Believe it’ figured out.”

“I guess.” Deanna shrugged. “I just…nothing felt right.” She added in admittance, her eyes downcast to the carpet the lined the floor.

“And it needs to, Deanna.” Selena sighed, folding the shirt back up to place it on the counter in front of the mirror. “It’s like when I write a promo. I can’t just say what someone else will say. I need to be honest with myself and I have to believe what I say. I need to assess what is really happening in the match, what I see in the opponent, and what implications really exist – and it’s even more important when it’s personal to me. When it’s something I desperately want-“

“Are you talking about Retribution… or next week?”

The question from Deanna silenced Selena immediately, causing her jaw to flutter a little before closing shut, the Snow Queen taking a moment to stare down at her hands. Selena knew that it was foolish to be excited about next Breakdown – especially when it changed so little in the grand scheme of things. Win or lose, she was going to be in a Double Jeopardy match for the world title. Nothing either she or her opponent did would change that particular element for either of them. The only thing that was going to change, far as anyone knew, was who the champion would be going into the match, that was it…

And yet…

“Next week.” She heard herself whisper, her hands clutching one another tighter. The answer earned a light laugh from her wife. 

“It’s okay!” Deanna consoled the Snow Queen. “You can be excited about facing Glory Braddock! Least you know there won’t be half a dozen people trying to screw you out of it.”

Selena sighed as she tilted her head towards the redhead. It was a sobering thought, but there was so much weight behind that supposed light-hearted statement.

From the literal second she had regained the world championship from Cid Turner back in December of last year, her entire reign had been swamped with controversy. From the blind attack from Cid Turner following that match, to the entire Brand intervening en masse to try and cheat Selena out of the title at the End of the Year, resulting in Selena, somehow, being the one disqualified, to Retribution where Kim Williams, of all people, had, admittedly, interfered for the sole purpose of trying to get Selena to lose the title through DQ, and, lastly, to the world title match with Glory last week never happening because every possible ‘entitled’ contender for her title came out, throwing a fit the likes of which bordered on absurd…

The result was that there had not been a single moment – not one – in Selena’s current reign as SCW World Champion that hadn’t ended in some kind of controversy, to the point where even someone like Jonathan Knots and Adam Sharper were remarking on it. 

Hardly fitting for someone trying to bring integrity to the world title… she thought dejectedly.

What bothered Selena was that none of it had been her doing. None of it had been her choice or even for her benefit. The intent of every single act had been to try and hurt her or get the world title off her. And yet she was the one getting the bad name, the one whose reputation was constantly being scrutinized across the board, including social media. 

Now? Now she was going to face Glory Braddock in Tampa, with every person barred from ringside, meaning that, odds were, there was NO WAY the match was going to be controversial. No way the match could be tainted. She was going to face Glory Braddock one-on-one and…and if Selena could beat her…

Excited was not even the right word Selena regarding this match. She was yearning for it. She was dreading it. She was needing it. She was afraid of it. The myriad of emotions were beyond what anyone could genuinely understand, except maybe Deanna. 

She dreaded and feared it because – at the end of the day – Glory was a damn good wrestler. Good enough to beat Syren and anyone else that was in her path. Was she good enough to beat Selena? The Snow Queen couldn’t say for certain, but it was definitely possible, and that was enough for Selena to be excited and afraid. Afraid because, what if she lost the title? True, it changed very little for the match at Retribution, but what did that say about Selena’s fourth reign as world champion? If every title defense had ended in controversy and as soon as it wasn’t, she lost it? If she had only stayed champion as long as she had because of ‘champion’s advantage’ and ‘the grace of officials’ rather than her own ability, her own beliefs, her own will?

It was terrifying – that in one match, she could have everything she had fought for: the ‘new standard’ she believed in for SCW, the integrity of herself as World Champion, it could all be destroyed in a second and she, for all her hard work, be delegated to a ‘lucky champion’ rather than one that fought for all she had and earned every inch.

But it was also exciting! Because she COULD beat Glory Braddock. And if she could, like she beat Cid Turner, would that not be a step in the right direction? She wasn’t foolish enough to think it would solve all the problems the last few months had created for the world title picture and the title’s meaning in the eyes of the SCW Universe, but wouldn’t it be a step in the right direction? If she could beat a talent as amazing as Glory Braddock? If she entered the Double Jeopardy, not as a recent champion like Glory would be if she won, but one that had defied the standards that Holly and the Brand tried to force onto the World title? 

“I need to win.” Selena whispered. “Even if I get screwed at Retribution… I need to be there as the world champion.” 

Her spine suddenly went rigid as she suddenly felt something going through her hair. Her eyes jumping up towards the vanity mirror, she spied her wife, her Deanna, standing right behind her – when had she moved there?! – gently combing her wife’s hair.

“Keep going.” Deanna smiled. “I’m listening.”
“I can…” Selena started but stopped as she felt Deanna’s free hand run lazily around her crown and scalp, the sensation causing her eyes to flutter shut for a moment as she savoured her wife’s touch. 

“You were saying that you need to win…” Deanna hinted, leading on as she pushed the hard plastic and ‘teeth’ of the comb through Selena’s hair gently.
“But you were talking about your new shirt.” Selena sighed, reaching out to take the cloth off the counter and back into her arms. “I feel like I keep stealing the discussion to talk about me.”

“Well…” Deanna shrugged as she finished a stroke of the comb. “You’ve got a pretty big match. Defending your title and all that.”
“Yes, but you’ve got a t-shirt!” Selena smiled, holding it up. “And we can figure out a catchphrase – we can put it on the bus! OH! There’s an idea!” a smile brightened upon her features. “That’s something we should have talked about for awhile. What if we added your face to the ‘Believe It!’ bus!”

That was something that should have come up sooner, Selena thought, but now that Deanna was occasionally wrestling and always seen with Selena, it was worth a full discussion. For so many years, it had been Selena’s snowflakes, her catchphrase, and Selena herself on the bus. The idea of remodeling it’s ‘exterior’ into some kind of “Frost Family” or “House of Frost” decoration? Why not?!

“I think…” she felt Deanna’s hands still a little from their combing. “I think I should, at least, win a match before you waste any more money on me and my ‘wrestling’ career.”

The playfulness of the suggestion died in less than a second after such words were uttered, causing Selena to want to turn her head, but Deanna’s hands in her hair made that impossible. “Deanna…” she tried, her only recourse being to gaze up the mirror’s reflection to see her beloved’s emerald eyes.

“Sorry.” Smiled Deanna. “It’s just…” she sighed, casting her gaze away. “Do you want to know what I REALLY thought when I received that t-shirt today?” she pointed at the mirror, specifically towards the t-shirt reflected in the glass. Despite nodding her head, Selena found herself dreading the answer.

“At first, I just wanted to show you, which, of course, I forgot because we were in the middle of talking to Jean and then Gerda popped by to confirm the Superbowl party and then the kids got home and needed help with their homework and then we needed to get our workout in…”

“Deanna…”

“And then came the shower and we both know how I get when we shower together – another hour off the time and-“
“De!” Selena pressed, reaching up to grasp Deanna’s hand, which rested on the Snow Queen’s crown. “A little too rough with the pulling.”

“What?! Oh…” Deanna’s eyes widened as she saw how much she was pushing down on the comb into Selena’s scalp. “I’m so sorry.” She implored, returning her focus to gently combing her wife’s hair, more careful than before.

“That’s alright. And for the record, you’re not the only one that ‘gets that way’ when we shower together." Selena smiled, trying to quickly move past the agitation in her scalp. “But you were saying?”

“Right. Um….” Deanna tried.
“When you first got the shirt...” Selena filled her in.
“Yes! At first, I was excited to tell you and I still was all day, except when I forgot about it. But then I thought: ‘Who in the hell would buy a shirt about me?’.”
“Our fans?” Selena answered as if it was the easiest question. “You’ve met them.”

“No…” Deanna sighed. “I’ve met your fans, Selena.”
“What do you mean?” Selena asked, her gaze again confused. “They want to see-“
“To them…” Deanna interjected quickly. “Whether I was there or not, your fans would still be there. And the more I thought about it, the more I thought that the only reason SCW Merch was doing this was because you were you and I was just part of whatever that was.”

It was a confusing statement, but it actually made sense to Selena. Despite all the crap The Brand was peddling with their ‘nirvana’ and ‘coaching’ crap, it was actually the Snow Queen, herself, that had remained one of the top, if not top, ‘merchandise sellers’ in SCW – her product appealing to every age and demographic SCW went through – especially kids. It had been the reason Sasha, years ago, had changed Selena’s contract deals from per year to ‘multi-year’. Was that what was bothering Deanna? That SCW management was looking at her as some kind of extension of Selena? As something else to sell? It wouldn’t have surprised the Snow Queen, but she refused to let her wife feel like that.

“It’s not their bus.” She stated firmly. “We’ve paid for it. We upkeep it. It’s ours. So, if we want to put your face on it, then that’s what we’re going to do.” There was a finality in her voice. “I’ll bet I can get some really nice pictures of us…” she added, a coy smile forming as she stole a glance at her wife’s emerald eyes.

“Be that as it may…” Deanna sighed, continuing to comb Selena’s hair. “My point still stands. If I didn’t show up with you, there’d be little to no difference.” Our voice dropped a little. “Wait till next week, you’ll see what I mean.”

Again, Selena easily picked up on her wife’s statement. “I see…” she sighed. “You mean being barred from ringside-“

“Yes!” Declared Deanna with a huff. “How many times is that now?! Your third match with Cid, End of the Year, BHS, and now this? I just…”

“They have to be fair, Deanna.” Selena tried with a sigh. “If they bar-“
“But what did I do?” angrily, Deanna stepped away from Selena, running her free hand through her red mane of hair as she walked around the room. “Have I ever cost someone the match for you? Have I ever screwed someone out of a match? Have I distracted anyone unfairly? All I ever did was the right thing but I get lumped into the same category as Giovanni and Cid and Cookie and The Connection and-“

The younger Frost stopped, turning back towards the windows where the storm continued to rage outside. “Why can’t I just be with you?” she asked out loud. “Why can’t I just do what I’m supposed to do? This could be the one match that is free from all that…that…”

“Controversy-“
“Crap!” Deanna spat out. “And you’re excited, and you want this and I want this – I want to see you compete without any of it… and I can’t be there! I can’t cheer you on from ringside, or hit the mat to wake you up if you get hit hard or get the crowd pumped or rush into the ring soon as you win to wrap you in my arms…I…” she stopped to angrily wipe at her right eye with the palm of her hand. “I have to watch backstage because of what everyone else did!”

Watching her wife act like that, Selena released a quiet sigh from her nose. The merchandise, the bus, none of that truly mattered to Deanna – it was clear now, and Selena cursed herself for not noticing it earlier.

For so long, she had placed her own frustrations forward – the controversial matches, failing to meet the standard, the integrity of the title – she hadn’t realized how it was also affecting Deanna. It wasn’t Deanna’s fault for all the interferences and BS that had plagued Selena – with so many people wanting the Snow Queen’s head and not caring how they got it – but the redhead had been treated just like the rest, being barred from ringside even though she had done nothing wrong! It was more than just The Brand calling Selena a villain and witch and whatever – that was just noise. This was management treating Deanna like a villain…

No wonder she got upset over Jean’s request that I head to Nome by myself… Selena sighed. “I don’t… I don’t know what to say…” another sigh escaped the Snow Queen. “I wish I did, Deanna.” 

Shaking her head a little as she continued to gaze out the window, Deanna turned to her wife. “Just sit still.” She ordered, marching back towards the platinum-blonde. “I have to finish your hair.”

“It’s fine.” Selena remarked. “It’s combed-“ she stopped as she felt her wife’s hands resume their previous task, combing and massaging Selena’s scalp – and the young woman wouldn’t deny that it felt good, her eyes fluttering closed of their own accord.

“What do you think Jean wants?” came the voice breaking through the ministrations to her head.
“I’m not sure.” Selena answered honestly, her eyes staying closed. “All he said was that he needed me there in Nome, preferably alone.”
“Preferably?”

The question, coming from Deanna, was enough, causing Selena to turn on the spot, her eyes flashing up to stare down Deanna. “Do you want to come with me?” she asked pointedly.
“Do you want me to go with you?” the redhead shot back.
“Oh come on!” Selena huffed. “That’s just childish!”
“That isn’t a yes or-“

“Yes!” Selena huffed, her hands reaching out to grab Deanna’s. “I ALWAYS want you with me! It’s almost disturbing to others how much I want you with me! I’ve heard it backstage – that I’m too needy or we’re too clingy! I don’t give a damn. Do I want you with me?” her voice dropped to a mere whisper, her hands gripping Deanna’s tighter. “Yes. I want you everywhere I go – I want you every place I am needed. I want you so fucking much that I know it’s unfair and I don’t fucking care, okay?”

The two stood there in silence, the raw emotion between them as thick as the storm was loud and strong outside their ‘Forever Home’. The strong patter of rain and strong roar of thunder only intensified their feelings, Selena’s chest heaving a little while Deanna could only gaze down at their conjoined hands.

“Now answer.” Selena whispered directly. “Do you want to come with me?”
“Yes.” Deanna replied simply. “But Jean doesn’t want me to-“
“To hell with that! If you want to come with me, then you’re coming with me! Gerda can look after the kids, okay?”
“But…” Deanna’s head jerked up but was silenced as a pair of soft lips crashed against hers. It was a full kiss, short but direct, ending far too quickly for her.

“You come first.” Sapphire eyes bore into emerald ones. “You always will. Especially when it comes to being with me.”
“O…okay…” Deanna sighed. “I’m sorry.” She added. “I’m sorry this is upsetting me as much as it is.”

“We spent nearly two years apart, Deanna.” Selena reminded her. “And I’m sorry I didn’t realize this was bothering you so much. I think I was so obsessed with finally having a decent wrestling match that I wasn’t seeing what all these ‘barring from ringside’ matches were doing to you. Do you want me to talk to Shaun? Maybe I can get him to-”

“No…” sighed Deanna, reaching up to rub her eyes again. “Even if that happens and he allows me there, it’ll just add fuel to the fire for everyone else. And you’ll just be back in that controversy again.”

Despite not entirely caring what the world-title contenders thought about her, Selena knew her wife was right. A blanket barring all from ringside kept things even. If Deanna was allowed there, even if she didn’t do anything, then it would only incite The Brand and The Connection – who were still obsessed with the notion of Selena using politics, or ‘witchcraft’ in the case of Giovanni Aries’ opinion, to influence everyone. 

“Besides, if you win.” Deanna added. “It’ll make things better, right? Like all that talk about integrity and hard work and what you and Glory were saying…”

Selena nodded. “It will – but that’s why I need to win. So I-“ 

CRASH!

The thunder was so loud that it drowned out the Snow Queen’s words and made the windows rattle. Instinctively, Selena’s arms wrapped around Deanna protectively, though they immediately relaxed upon realizing the source of the noise-

Thought sound of feet running stunned her again, her head flying to the doorway just in time to see the young girl with hair as red as Deanna’s bolt into the room. She didn’t even stop to look around, instead throwing herself onto the bed, to cover her head with one of Selena’s pillows.

“What the-“ Selena spoke, immediately recognizing the three-year old as she shook from under the pillow. “Ami?” Selena asked, leaning down over the pillow. “Are you alright?”

No sound came but Selena saw the girl’s head shaking back and forth rapidly, causing a sad sigh to leave the Snow Queen. “Is it the storm?”

The young girl nodded her head. This had happened every so often when the storms were loud enough to wake the child. Another clasp of thunder had her trying to grow smaller, shuffling over to where she felt her mother’s body.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Selena whispered, reaching under the pillow to pick up the small girl, who immediately clung to her mother, wrapping her short arms around the wrestler’s neck. “Oh, it’s okay, baby. I know you’re scared. It’s okay to be scared.”

Standing up, Selena did her best to cradle little Amiliah in her arms as the thunder continued to rage outside. It was certainly one of the louder storms they had dealt with in awhile – neither Frost wanted to think about how it was soaking the floor of their balcony. 

“It’s not looking like it’s letting up any time soon.” Deanna stated from her new place at the window, looking out through the glass to the outside. “She’s never going to fall asleep until it does.” She sighed knowingly. David had gone through a similar phase in his life, a fear of storms, and, according to Elsianna, she had suffered similar problems in her years at the Pilgrim Springs Orphanage.

“Well…” Selena sighed. “What don’t we head to my office. It’s sound proof and-“ her eyes shifted to Amiliah, cradling her youngest close to her. “And it’s lightning and thunder proof!”

That seemed to get the child’s attention, the young redhead lifting her head to gaze at her mother. “Really?”
“Yep.” Selena nodded. “Wanna go see?”

Quickly, Ami nodded her head, to which Deanna immediately got to work, grabbing every pillow that was on her and Selena’s bed, even the ‘decorative ones’. “I’ll be back in a minute.” She stated before disappearing out of the room, awkwardly sliding out the door with the mass of pillows in her arms.

“Ready?” Selena asked, checking in on the daughter in her arms. When the child nodded her small head, Selena was on the move, carefully stepping towards the door. 

“Want to turn off the lights for mother?” she asked Amiliah, leaning her just enough so Ami could reach the switch and turn off the bedroom lights, leaving only the nightlights on in the hallway. It was those lights that allowed Selena to see the older daughter of hers bolt out of Amiliah’s and her room, eyes searching frantically up and down the hallway until they settled on Selena. 

“Mother…” Elsianna breathed.
“Hello, snowflake.” Selena smiled knowingly. “Did you lose this?” she asked, holding Amiliah up a little playfully. 

Despite herself, Elsianna breathed a sigh of relief before making her way closer to her mother and her sister, reaching to gently stroke Amiliah’s cheek, immediately getting the three-year old’s attention.

“Elsa?” Amiliah asked.
“I’m right here, Ami.” Elsianna replied, leaning down to kiss her sister’s forehead. 

“You want to hold her?” Selena asked, earning a quick nod from her eldest. Carefully, the parent guided little Ami into Elsa’s waiting arms, the nine-year old expertly cradling her little sister protectively. “We were going to go to my office to escape the storm. Do you-“

The door to the last room flew open and there stood David, looking around. “Why’s everyone up?” the five-year old asked. 
“It’s alright, David.” Selena smiled, moving over to kneel before her son. “Your sister just had a bad dream.”
“Was it the storms?” David asked.
“Yep. Just like you use to.”
“I use to?!” David asked.
“Yep. Couple of years ago, you were quite scared of them.”
“Nuh-uh…” David scoffed though he wasn’t fooling anyone. “Nothing scares me now.”
“I’m sure.” Selena smiled, ruffing the boy’s hair. “My brave prince.”
“Mom…” David whined before yawning. “Can I go back to bed?”

“Of course you can.” Selena smiled. “We’re just going to be in my office in case you need us, okay?”
“Doing what?” David asked, rubbing his eyes.
“Just to help your little sister through the storm.”
“Oh…okay.” David shrugged before turning back to go back to his room, flopping on his bed as he did so. “Night, mom.” He called out.

“Good night, dear.” Selena shook her head with a smile before making her way down the stairs, Elsianna and Amiliah in tow. The trio made the short trip through the house until they had reached Selena’s office, the nightlights in the walls guiding them until they could see the large room near the basement. The doors were opened wide, allowing the lights to spill out into the hallway, allowing Selena to see her wife darting around the room as they made their way towards it. 

Carefully, Selena opened the door to help Elsianna and Amiliah in just in time to see Deanna set up the last pillow on top of the mountain of…pillows. 

“Are those the pillows from the living room couch?” Selena asked, recognizing the pillows that sat on top of the rest.
“And cushions.” Deanna replied with a heavy exhale, tapping on the sides of the ‘mountain’. “Needed sturdier ones for the-“

“Pillowfort!” came the cry of Amiliah as she lifted her head to see the mass of pillows displayed before Selena’s desk. Immediately, the redheaded child was on the move, scampering out of Elsianna’s arms to run straight towards the puffy construct!

“Oh, Ami-“ Selena tried to call out. “Watch out for the-“

But she was too late as Amiliah slid into the fort, her small body colliding with the side cushion Deanna was not nearby. Immediately, the makeshift fort began to shift and fall apart! Quickly, Selena sprung to the other side to grab the top of the fort, holding it up while she used her other hand to grab the knocked over couch-cushion and hoist it back into place, restoring the fort to its previous ‘structure’ and allowing the Frost women to all breathe a sigh of relief.

“Sorry…” muttered Amliah as she huddled into the fort. 

On opposite sides of the fort, the Frost wives shared a gaze with one another, one of tiredness but also understanding. “Scoot over.” Deanna instructed to Amiliah to allow Elsianna to come in next, sitting next to her younger sister to hold her snugly. Deanna and Elsianna followed next, the Snow Queen remarking on the large length and width of the ‘fort’ Deanna had constructed so quickly. It stretched halfway across her office, with enough space to allow all of them to be under it. 

Inside, Selena could see a few more pillows strewn out on the floor, along with a few blankets. “Nice job, pet.” She remarked to Deanna. “Didn’t mom do a nice job, girls?”
“Yes.” Elsianna answered immediately.
“Uh-huh! I mean, yes.” Amiliah replied, copying her sister’s response.

“And listen… do you hear that?”  Selena asked, placing her fingers at her ear to listen, an action copied by her two daughters.
“I don’t hear anything.” Amiliah remarked.
“Exactly!” Selena smiled, holding her arms out. “Thunder-proof!”

In truth, the room merely had amazing sound-proofing, something she had ensured when they had moved in almost six years ago for whenever she did her promos in this room – not wishing to have her children hear her curse or call someone a B-I-T-C- you get the point.

Shaking her head, Selena watched Deanna as she set up some pillows for Elsianna and Amiliah to sleep on, helping them to get comfy before placing a blanket over their frames, their little heads one with hair like Selena’s and the other with hair like Deanna’s resting on the large pillow. 

“Can’t sleep with the lights so bright…” Whined Amiliah.
“It’s alright.” Selena smiled. “I’ll get the lights.”

Carefully, the platinum-blonde maneuvered herself out of the fort, careful not to touch any of the cushions before pulling herself up to her feet. Making her way across the room, she flicked the switch on the main lights but quickly adjusted the secondary set of lights that were on a dimmer switch, lowering the lights to the same dimness as the hallway nightlights. That done, she began making her way back to the fort but stopped when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye.

Before her was the sliver and black trim of the large mirror that stood on the wall between two bookshelves, but it was the sight of the woman within the reflection that surprised Selena, or rather, the sight of the woman’s hair.

Quickly, Selena’s hand flew up her head, immediately feeling the tied-ends of platinum-blonde that linked together over and over… the texture so familiar to her and yet, one she hadn’t felt in a year.

For there, before her eyes, stood the Snow Queen, with her hair tied in it iconic braid.

It was short, just reaching to the back of Selena’s neck and tops of her shoulder blades, but…but it was there… carefully, her eyes locked on the glass, Selena again reached up to touch it, her hands grazing it gently, afraid that if she were too rough, it would unravel and be no more. She lifted it a little, felt its weight and then gently shook her head to feel it whip a little around her neck.

Her braid… what she had given up for Deanna’s freedom from Frankfurt…

She felt hot tears of joy sting her eyes as she gazed at the braiding, so perfect and so like what she use to do. But when had-

Her eyes shot to the reflection of the Pillowfort she could see. Deanna… she thought in understanding. Her wife had done this for her while she had been combing the Snow Queen’s hair. Why? Selena wasn’t sure, but there was no mistaking the jolt of happiness that filled her heart at the sight of her hair growing back.

Yes, it was still a far-cry from what it once had been, but in another year? Two years? She had waited four years to have the world title reigns she had dreamed of, what was that time to regain her family’s hair – her braid… what made her a Frost in her mind…

Biting her lower lip, the Snow Queen blinked and wiped away the few tears that escaped her sapphire eyes just as she saw Deanna poke her head out from the fort ‘entrance’, emerald eyes on her beloved wife.

“Coming?” she asked knowingly, her eyes taking in her wife’s position, posture and expression as Selena turned to her. “Did I do good?” she asked with a smile.

“You always do.” Selena whispered, approaching Deanna and kneeling down before her, cupping her face with her hand. “You always do…” she repeated in a whisper before leaning down to capture her wife’s lips with her own, a grateful kiss that took the redhead’s breath away.

“Do me a favor.” Selena whispered as they broke the kiss and the pair made their way into the fort, crawling around their children to cuddle at the back against the front of Selena’s desk, Deanna grabbing a blanket to cover them both and their own pillows to rest their heads.

“What’s that?” Deanna asked as she snuggled against Selena’s front as the older Frost held her wife close to her as they lay on the soft carpet, their voices low in whisper to not disturb their daughters.
“When we head to Nome together.” Selena stressed the last word. “Can you make my hair like this again?”
“Sure…” Deanna smiled. “But only if you do my hair.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Selena smiled, leaning down to kiss the nape of her wife’s neck, sending a shiver down the woman’s back. “I planned to. We’re in this together, after all.”

“We better be.” Deanna whispered as the two slowly fell asleep in each other’s arms. True, they would eventually be awakened several hours later by a very energetic David coming down the stairs, seeing the fort, and wanting to play “GODZILLA!” as he ripped through the cushions… but in that moment, holding one another as the storm raged on around them, neither Frost wanted to be without the other. 

And whatever was waiting in Nome could now deal with two Frost wives!

_______________________________________________________________



The camera fades in to reveal the SCW World Champion, Selena Frost, sitting in a leather recliner. She wears blue jeans and a maroon sweater, her medium-length hair is freely flowing down her shoulders, the platinum-blonde strands standing out amidst the dark colors of her top. The SCW World Championship rests over her lap as she sits within the study amidst the shelves of books.

Double Jeopardy… she speaks slowly, her breath weighing the words heavily.

The idea of danger happening twice. A match that I have never been apart of… In just a few weeks’ time at Retribution, the issues revolving around the SCW World title – about its integrity, about what it means – will be laid to rest. Seven superstars will compete and only one will become the world champion… Shifting the belt into both her hands, she stares down at the gold plates with the SCW letters etched into them.

Now, for most of the women in that match, that is where their focus is going to be. For those women, what happens in a couple of days at Breakdown will hold no bearing to them. But, as I said, this is literally double jeopardy for me – because before I can think about Retribution and all that it means, there’s a place in Florida called Tampa… and there’s a place in Tampa called the Amalie Arena. And there, before Retribution comes through, I will be defending this SCW World Championship against Glory Braddock.

The Snow Queen grows quiet at those words, her sapphire eyes tearing away from the title to gaze at the camera before her.

Now, there is a lot of history between Glory and myself. We both have fought for the notion of “The Best Wrestler in the World/The Best of the Best”. We have fought in singles matches, triple threat matches, tag matches, gauntlet matches. We’ve been rivals, enemies, even teammates - and just like that history, there is a myriad of emotions that comes to me when I think about fighting Glory Braddock.

A genuine smile breaks across her features. The most prominent, easily, is respect but I want to talk about that last, Glory, because it is so integral to everything that this match is. So let me build to that, Glory. Let me put things in perspective on where I stand regarding this overdue championship match between you and me, because that’s what it is. Overdue. I don’t care who’s whining about it on Twitter. I don’t care how many of the other women in Double Jeopardy are having a fit. I don’t care if Kennedy Street is throwing a tantrum – this is overdue. You and me for the SCW World Championship! she pats her a hand against the metal plates before sitting back in her seat.

But let me take you back a couple of years, Glory – about, three or so years. Three years ago, the year was 2019. I was starting the year in a damn war for the United States Championship. I was fighting in Roofed Caged matches, in basic handicap matches, every match I was in was a United States Championship match – I made sure of that – all because I wanted that belt to stand out. And in a world where everyone was gunning for me, at that same time, this woman came into SCW. She sauntered into SCW and, in a world where everyone else starts here either meek and timid – joining the big leagues and scared to death of it, like I was, or they come here with all the arrogance in the world and none of the credentials to back it up – for the first time in my then six years in SCW, I saw someone – this woman – that was neither of those things.

She shakes her head in amusement at her past self. In a world filled with those two kinds of entrants into SCW, in came a woman that stood head and shoulders above them all. A woman that, not only had the history and family name that the world knew of, but also the credentials to shove it in everyone’s face. Multiple time world champion across the world, across multiple different federations, a list of accolades that, without even having a match in SCW yet, eclipsed mine and countless other men and women that were considered ‘veterans’ and ‘legends’ in this business!

It was enough for me to take notice. It was enough for me to sit down and listen and see what this woman was all about. And I did listen, Glory. I listened to that woman’s ‘debut’ promo against Alistaire Allocco, where she talked about ‘legacy’. She talked about her father, Glenn, engraining a ‘respect for this sport’ into her head. She talked about how this world was full of two kinds of people – those that learn from their losses and those that make excuses for their losses.

Moving the title over her shoulder, Selena looks away from the camera. And while I was waging war with the likes of Giovanni Aries, Bree Lancaster, and Xander Valentine, I watched this woman tear through SCW like it was easy. I watched her, in her first year, become a Trios Tournament winner, headline the Rise to Greatness main-event, compete in the most brutal structure SCW has, the Chamber, and fight some of the biggest names SCW has ever had – things that took me to eight years just to do. 

Her eyes return to the camera. More than watch, Glory, I listened. I listened to you every single week – every single promo – every single message. And while things may have changed in terms of your perspectives and your morals, while you may have gone back and forth with the SCW Universe and such, one thing that never left you was that confidence and that focus on ‘legacy’. It was engrained into you, Glory. It was as much a part of you – part of your makeup – as I felt my name was. At being a “Frost”. Now, in wrestling, that will mean little, but in my world, it means so much and for many years, that pride was all I had. It was all I had to keep me going. To push me further. To make me remember that I was more than what my peers were seeing me as. More than a ripoff or a knockoff or a fraud – words that follow me to this day by uncreative minds like Holly Adams and the rest of the Brand. Words echoed over and over again by the mouths of Infamous.

The Snow Queen is quiet for a moment, her eyes still locked on the camera and her tone deadly serious. I learned really quick just what it meant to have pride in ‘legacies’, Glory. I learned, watching you, what it meant to be proud not just of who you are, but what you represent. What you believe in. Six years in the business, and I could still re-learn that lesson. I could still be reminded of it and able to keep the fight going. And while I wasn’t the biggest fan of your more ‘selfish’ times, the fact that you still maintained that belief – that this title is worth something more than just what we have seen from past champions like Cid and Bree and Syren… it’s commendable. That this championship deserves a proper legacy is commendable. a pale hand rests against the center-plate of the belt.

It is for people like you that believe in that, Glory, that I began this conquest almost a year ago. My tag-team days with my sister were at an end because of an unfortunate injury, and as I looked around at SCW and I saw what was happening around it, I realized just how much things had gone wrong. Just how much things had changed. While I was fighting in chamber matches and roofed cages, Sienna Swann was putting all of her Beauty Factory against one guy. While I was in a war with the most dangerous man in SCW history, Xander Valentine, people were hiring masked men to ensure someone won the world title inside a chamber, rather than have it be decided by skill and strategy. While I was winning a tournament just to regain the United States title, my competition was holding me up just so an interfering Chris Cannon could try and spear me and hand the title and tournament to that person on a silver platter.

Closing her eyes, Selena takes a deep breath in and out of her nose. Over and over again, Glory, all I saw was controversy. All I saw was tainted wins and backstage politics and nowhere was that greater than with the SCW World championship. A title that had been won by then champion, Cid Turner, not through skill but by Holly Adams smashing the champion with the title belt. I knew then what I had to do. I had to start from the bottom and work my way up to the top until I could replace that standard – that belief that such methods were the only way to win the SCW World Championship. To become the SCW World Champion.

And it has been a long, hard road for me. A road that has seen me lose this belt, regain it, and fight tooth and nail just to not only to protect this belt’s integrity, but my own in the same breath. And I won’t lie, in many respects, I have failed. I have had to settle for “the champion’s advantage”. I’ve had to count on the morals and ethics of our officials to keep this championship when The Brand and Kim Williams kept trying to screw me out of it. For the past few months, I have failed to have this title be associated with integrity. I hate that I have to say that but it’s the honest truth. her jaw clenches at the truth that has plagued her.

And I can’t just be happy with that. I can’t just settle for that. I can’t just shrug my shoulders and just ‘be happy that I’m still the world champion’ because that isn’t who I am. That isn’t what I believe in. You know it and I know it. You’ve seen it, Glory. You’ve seen it when I beat Cid Turner twice over. I saw it when you beat Syren just a few weeks ago. We have seen it so many times – glimpses of what SCW was and should be. What SCW deserves to be. What the SCW Universe deserves it to be.

Selena sits back a little. And this coming Breakdown, SCW will see it again. At long last, after months of competitors trying to take the shortcut with me, the SCW Universe will see not only what Glory Braddock is about but what Selena Frost is about – what SCW should be about.

And if it were to end for me in Tampa. If my fourth reign were to end against anyone here in SCW now? I would want it to be against you, Glory. That is how much I respect you. How much your words and your beliefs have had an effect on me throughout the years. If I had to pick one person and say “that’s who I want being SCW World Champion besides me”, “that’s the person with the skill and heart and belief to do what I have been trying to do for almost a year”, that person would be you, Glory.

And at any other time, I would shake your hand, I would wish you luck, and I would tell you that you and I were going to have a match that would take everything we had and ‘may the best wrestler win’.

A sad smile breaks across her face as Selena slowly shakes her head. But I can’t do that this time, Glory. I can’t do that because losing here and now to you? It isn’t an option. her eyes turn to glare at the camera.

For over 70 days, since regaining it, I have tried to defend this championship with integrity. I have tried to make my opponents give me all they have, whether it was for this title or in a match. And every single time, like I said, I have failed to do so. It’s gotten so bad that Shaun Cruze has had to get involved and bar everyone, including my wife, who has done nothing wrong, from ringside, just to be absolutely sure that we can have a decent match – something that should be the status quo around here, but isn’t. 

And I know you, Glory. I know you are a fighter. I know that if you lose here, to me, you will take it, you will deal with it, and you will come back better and harder than ever at Retribution – all the more dangerous, all the more capable of getting the job done and becoming SCW World Champion.

I cannot say the same. her hands tighten around the SCW title as she holds it.

To me – this isn’t a match that ‘changes little about Retribution’. This isn’t a match that is just ‘overdue’. This is do or die for me, Glory. If I fail against you, yes, I lose to one of the best in SCW, but it means that everything I worked for these last 70 plus days? It means nothing. It gives credit to the BS Holly has been spewing about me needing others to stay champion. It gives credit to the notion that I am a champion in name only. It gives credit that, while I talk about integrity, I can’t get it done in the ring – words uttered by so many people in the back that want what I have…

To me, Glory, this is a match I cannot afford to lose. This is a match where I need to retain the World Championship. This is a match where I need to fight, not just with all I have, but with all I can be. So, while I respect you and admire what you have done – I cannot wish you well at Breakdown.

Because things will not go well for either of us. I know you are desperate to hold the world title again. I know you are desperate to finally get your one-on-one shot. I know you are going to dig deep, Glory. Dig deeper than you ever have before against me. Draw up everything you have learned from your father - and I will have to bear it. The pain of your triangle choke? The brunt of your Glorification – I will need to face it all and all of your legacy and heritage… and I will have to overcome it. And, I promise you, Glory, that in return for that, I will be kicking you harder than I ever have before. The second I see a kill-shot? You better believe that I am going to take it, because I know, at most, there will only be one chance of that against someone like you. she holds up a finger to indicate the number, lowering it down to roll her shoulders a little as she sits back in her chair.

This match – this world championship main-event match, Glory, will be everything we want SCW to be. Everything that we believe SCW to be. But it will also be painful, brutal, and ugly. It will take something from both of us and, while you can possibly promise that you’ll be able to shrug it off and be ready for Retribution, I am not prepared to promise the same.

Until that last bell rings to end our match, there is NO Retribution for me.
There is NO Double Jeopardy in my mind.
There is NO Kandis, or Holly, or Lohan, or Autumn, or Williams.

There just you… she points at the camera.Me…she gestures towards herself…And this… she points two fingers to the title now resting on her shoulder.

And if you believe that I will let this reign of mine end without a shred of integrity… then it will be over my dead body!

Sapphire eyes narrow as a smirk grows on her features. Believe it, Glory! Over…my…dead…body.

The camera fades on the world champion as she holds her world championship before fading entirely to black.

==========
February 15th, 2022
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========

Forty eight hours ago “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock was in her native homeland of London, England. Braddock was in a place she truly felt at home and at peace, a place where her family’s legacy was born and bred, where her own passion for the wrestling business was nurtured and allowed to flourish. She went to London to mentally prepare for her SCW World Championship Match against Selena Frost, to remind herself who she was and what brought her to the dance. Mental preparation for a big championship match wasn’t the only thing that brought Glory back to London. Her cousin and business partner in the modeling business, Kayla Jones, had informed The British Bombshell of a young woman who was a model but wanted desperately to be a wrestler, a young woman named Fiona. Glory had already enrolled young Fiona Osbourne into her wrestling school in London but Kayla now wants her to take this to a whole new level. Kayla wants Braddock to let Fiona move in with her in Miami. Kayla wants Glory to personally mentor Fiona in the wrestling business.

Kayla’s primary concern is Todd Osbourne, Fiona’s abusive foster father. Even though Fiona is of age now and no longer legally under Todd’s control, there are signs that Fiona is being stalked by Todd. Kayla wants Glory to take in Fiona primarily in order to protect her from Todd Osbourne. But for Glory this proposal is about something entirely different. For Braddock this is about reminding herself what her family legacy is really all about. Is her family legacy simply chasing championships and being the best competitor ever or is her family legacy more than that? Is her family legacy being the best PERSON she could possibly be? Her father, the late Glenn Braddock, was indeed a great wrestler in his own right but he also was a great human being in the community. He helped those who could not help themselves. He even took in Sophie and Mark O’Brian, Glory’s best friends, he adopted them and mentored them, much like how Kayla wants Glory to adopt and mentor Fiona.

That was all forty-eight hours ago in London. Glory left a plane ticket as well as a ticket to SCW Breakdown in Tampa for Fiona. The decision is Fiona’s and Fiona’s alone to make. Glory cannot make the decision for her. Braddock can no longer focus on the needs of the less fortunate like Fiona. Glory must focus on her immediate task at hand and that is somehow finding a way to defeat Selena Frost and become the SCW World Champion for a second time. So Braddock took an all night red-eye flight from London back to her adopted home in Miami, Florida. The British Bombshell has been living in Miami a few years now and her home is just a little more than five hours away from Tampa where she will challenge for the SCW World Title. It isn’t the same as having homefield advantage in her native home of London, England, but Glory still expects to have somewhat of a homefield fan edge when she faces Frost on Breakdown.

Still, as valuable as the fan support is, Braddock knows that it won’t be enough to beat Selena. Glory will have to wrestle the best match of her career. She plans to spend the next few days before Breakdown in intense training.

That intense training starts today. Braddock arrived back in Miami after an over nine hour flight. She was exhausted and despite wanting to workout and exercise immediately, her husband Kurt was insistent that she go to bed. Glory had no idea how exhausted she truly was, because she ended up sleeping that Valentine’s Day evening until the next morning, Tuesday the fifteenth of February. The sunlight streams in through the window and shines down upon Braddock’s face. The brightness of the sun’s warm rays immediately wake her up. Glory throws the covers off of her and sits up. She stretches real big and then yawns. Braddock is wearing a pink nightie. She swings her legs over the edge of the bed, turning away from the sun’s rays. Braddock hears a male clearing his throat. She looks up and sees her husband, Kurt Logan. He is standing there with a tray of food in his hands.

“Bloody hell, Kurt,” Glory says as she chuckles lightly “you didn’t have to do this.”

“I know but I wanted to. It is Valentine’s Day.”

“Valentine’s Day was yesterday, love.”

“I know but you fell asleep. You slept through Valentine’s Day.” Kurt walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge next to Glory. He passes the tray over to her. The tray is full of your typical southern breakfast foods; scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage patties, and a cup of coffee. Braddock notices that the pancakes have smiley faces drawn on them in chocolate syrup. Glory chuckles.

“I take it Dawn had a hand in making the pancakes?”

“Were the smiley faces a dead giveaway?”

“Just a wee bit, yes.” Glory says with a warm smile. She leans over and kisses Kurt on his cheek. “I appreciate all of this, Kurt. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“How is that I got so lucky to be with you?”

“You’re not the lucky one, Glory.” Kurt shakes his head. “I am the lucky one. You are so beautiful and so smart, you are so talented, you could have just about anyone you wanted, male or female, but you chose to spend the rest of your life with me.”

“You really don’t have to lay the lovey-dovey shtick on so thick, love.” Glory says as she rolls her eyes. “I get it, it’s Valentine’s Day, but you know I’m not the kind of woman who needs to be showered with this stuff.”

“I know but I want to do it.”

“Why do we do anything for Valentine’s Day anyway?” Glory asks, shrugging her shoulders. “I mean seriously, the real Saint Valentine was beaten to death with clubs. If we really wanted to honor the bloke’s memory we should find people we hate and beat them with clubs.”

“Sounds like you’re preparing for Breakdown.”

“No…” Glory shakes her head “...I have too much respect for Selena to do that. I plan to beat her clean in the center of the ring, leaving no doubt that my first reign as World Champion was not a fluke, while at the same time beginning my second.”

“So no clubs?”

“None.” Glory smirks knowingly. “Then again, if Holly, Kandis, or any of those other clowns decide to get involved, maybe Selena and I could honor Saint Valentine’s memory by beating them half to death with clubs?”

“Now that sounds like a great idea to me.” Kurt says as he kisses Glory on her forehead. “Now go ahead and eat your breakfast. You can start to tune out the rest of the world and go into your deep wrestling zone afterwards.”

The British Bombshell still would rather go straight into training. It is part of the personality, the philosophy that was ingrained into her by her father Glenn Braddock. But Kurt is right, she should eat at least a little something before beginning. Glory takes the fork and begins to dig into the food, starting with the eggs. She begins to chew.

“These are terrific…”

“I can make a damn good meal when you let me.” Kurt says with a knowing grin of his own. “We’re on the road so much I don’t get a chance to cook.”

“Most wives don’t have a husband who can cook. That’s another reason I’m lucky.”

“One of us needs to know how to cook. You don’t know how.”

“No, I don’t.” Glory says as she cuts up a sausage patty and begins to put a bite of it into her mouth. “Dad treated me like the son he never had. I learned how to fight, how to wrestle, and how to win championships instead of how to cook.”

“I’m sure your dad taught you other things.”

“Not much.” Braddock says, shaking her head. “Like I said, I’m lucky to have you.”

Kurt sighs. “Speaking of your dear old dad, how did your visit to London go?”

“Well it went well. I got some good time in to work out and train.”

“Any sparring?” Kurt asks. Glory shakes her head.

“No…” Braddock points at Kurt with her fork “...you will have to be my sparring partner. At least until Melinda arrives.”

“Oh, is Melinda coming in?”

“Uh-huh,” Glory says nodding her head in affirmative “she will be in tomorrow. She was smarter than her mother and chose NOT to take the red-eye.”

“That’s great. Dawn hasn’t seen her in way too long.” Kurt smiles warmly. “And I’m looking forward to seeing my step-daughter too.”

“Melinda can’t wait to see you. And she’s also coming to see me compete in Tampa. Mel is convinced that Breakdown against Selena is my time to become champion and she wants to be there to see it happen.”

“What about Fiona?” Kurt asks. He knows about the deal with Fiona. Glory already gave him a head’s up that she may move in with them. Glory sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t know yet. I mean, she seems genuinely interested in being mentored by me, but she’s also worried about her foster father. I couldn’t get a definite answer out of her so I have no clue if she’s coming or not.”

“You did give her the plane ticket, right?” Kurt asks. Glory nods her head. “Then that’s all you can do, babe. You cannot make this decision for her.”

“I know it, Kurt.” Glory says, nodding her head. “I just hope she makes the right decision.”

“You mean the decision to move in with us?”

“I don’t know.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “I honestly don’t know if that’s the right decision or not. I mean, this whole situation partially scares me. This is something my dad did many times with many people. But I’ve done anything like this. I was trained to be like Glenn Braddock the wrestling machine, I was not taught how to be like Glenn Braddock the humanitarian. Hell, for a long time I didn’t even realize that Glenn Braddock existed.”

“Being a good person isn’t something that runs in a family or is passed down to you genetically.” Kurt pats his wife on the chest. “It’s right here, in the heart, and I know you, Glory, so I can assure you that you are a good person.”

“Thanks, Kurt.” Braddock says with a sigh. Kurt leans in and embraces his wife with a tight hug. Glory tries to enjoy this moment of love and affection for now, while it lasts. She knows that after she finishes eating breakfast that her training will begin in earnest. She has a world championship to win.

==========
February 15th, 2022
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========

Approximately three hours have passed since Glory Braddock got her belated Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed courtesy of her husband Kurt Logan. Now The British Bombshell can turn her focus entirely on her intense training regimen and trying to become a two time SCW World Champion. This has brought her to her personal gym and workout center in the basement of her luxurious home in Miami, Florida. This gym stands in a stark contrast with the gym grew up with, the one owned by her father. Her father’s gym and wrestling school in London was always run down and dirty looking. Glory never fixed it up too much, because she knew her father would have preferred it that way. But her own personal gym in Miami looks very nice, clean, and has all of the best equipment. It definitely is a different environment and also a different approach; typically she tries to find someone as close to the same style as her opponent. The only sparring partner closest to the style of reigning SCW World Champion Selena Frost is Melinda Braddock, Glory’s oldest child. But Melinda lacks the experience Selena has. Also Melinda is not here. Glory has to settle for her husband, Kurt Logan. Kurt is quite the opposite of Selena when it comes to wrestling style but at least he has tons of experience.

Glory Braddock stands on a blue amateur wrestling mat. She is dressed in royal purple shorts and a white t-shirt with her name, “Glory Braddock”, printed on the front in purple lettering. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. She is wearing white tennis shoes. Kurt is nowhere to be found. Braddock turns and looks at a clock on the wall. She sighs and shakes her head with frustration.

“Kurt! Where the hell are you?!”

“Give me a moment…”

“Bloody hell! You take longer than a woman to get dressed!”

“You sound like your father.”

“Good…” Glory says quietly. She wants that spirit of her father running through her body right now. She knows if Glenn Braddock were here and in her corner he would have the perfect game plan to overcome Selena Frost. Unfortunately he is not here any more. Braddock has to settle for her husband, Kurt Logan, who while an accomplished wrestler and former world champion in his own right, is not the same as her father.

“You’re gonna love this!”

“I’ll love whatever it is you have on just as long as you get out here so we can…” Glory stops as she watches the door open and sees her husband Kurt entering the room. He is wearing a blonde wig and is wearing an official “Selena Frost” t-shirt along with “Selena Frost” shorts. Braddock wants to be angry but she cannot help herself. She starts laughing hysterically.

“What the hell are you wearing?”

“Let’s call it motivation.” Kurt says with a wry grin.

“You look like a fool. You know that?”

“I will look like a fool if it helps you, babe.”

“Fine then. Get your ass over here, ‘Frost’, so I can knock your damn head off.”

Kurt snickers as he approaches the wrestling mat. He steps onto it and stops. Glory motions for him to meet her in the center and tie up. Kurt acts if he will tie up but then he throws a superkick instead. Braddock just barely avoids the contact by jumping out of the way. Glory shakes her head in frustration.

“What the hell was that?!”

“The Glass Shard, I think…” Kurt shrugs his shoulders “..or at least as close to it as a beat up, retired wrestler can do.” Kurt charges Braddock and leaps in the air. He tries for another kick but this kick is way off and Glory easily avoids it. He lands hard on the mat and then Glory shoots the half-nelson and rolls him up.

“Let me guess…Defying Gravity?”

“That was lame, wasn’t it?” Kurt asks. Glory nods her head.

“She uses the ropes for that, love. Don’t try that again.” She release Kurt. The two pull themselves to their feet. Braddock laughs lightly. “If only beating the real Selena would be as easy as this.”

“It may be?” Kurt suggests. “You are The Best in the World, am I right?”

“Not anymore.” Glory says, shaking her head. “That is the old, egomaniac Glory Braddock. That is the full of herself Glory Braddock. I am not The Best until I beat the best and right now Selena is the best. I need to beat her, Kurt.” She looks at her husband and sighs. “Unfortunately, you are a far cry from her. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Maybe having you spar with me was a mistake?”

“No it is not.” Kurt walks over and wraps an arm around his wife’s shoulder. “I get it, I’m the farthest thing from Selena, but I am a wrestler, and I have a ton of experience behind me. Most importantly I know how to win a world championship. Sparring with me and BEATING me is proof that you can beat a world champion the caliber of Selena Frost. So do you want to spar or not?”

“You’re better than no one, I suppose.” Glory says as she shrugs her shoulders.

“Now that I WILL take offense to…” Kurt says as he walks in towards Glory. The British Bombshell meets him and they tie up in the center. Glory quickly goes into a side headlock. What surely is about to be a great sparring session is then interrupted when the loud noise of the door opening is heard. Braddock releases the side headlock and looks towards the door. She and Kurt smile when they see their oldest daughter, Melinda Braddock, approaching. Melinda is wearing a knee length denim skirt, a white blouse, and black high heeled sandals.

“I’m back baby!” Melinda exclaims with arms outstretched. “And I hope you don’t mind but I brought a friend with me!” Bringing up the rear behind Melinda, dressed in loose fitting shorts, flip flops, and a plain gray t-shirt is none other than Fiona Osbourne.

“Mel! Fiona!” Glory is clearly happy to see these two ladies. She knew that at least Melinda was coming home soon, she just wasn’t sure when. Fiona is the surprise. She gave her the plane ticket and the ticket to Breakdown. But Fiona’s presence does not necessarily mean that she has committed to being mentored by The British Bombshell. Glory gave her that ticket to Breakdown with no strings attached. She could just be here to see Glory wrestle Selena Frost. Regardless, seeing these two brings a smile to her face. Kurt and Glory meet Melinda and Fiona and the four exchange hugs.

“So I see that you brought out grandpa’s old psychological warfare method of dressing your sparring partner up like your opponent?” Melinda suggests as she motions to Kurt Logan’s strange attire. Glory chuckles. Kurt shakes his head.

“No, it was my idea. And I think I look good, thank you very much.”

“You look ridiculous.” Melinda hugs him again. “But I love you anyway, dad.”

“I love you too, Mel.” He then motions to Glory. “But if you brought your gear, I think your mom probably would appreciate sparring with you more than she would appreciate sparring with me. You’re closer to Selena’s style of ring wrestling than I am.”

“Is that so, mom?”

“If you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind. Just give me time to get changed.” Melinda turns and jogs away, exiting the gym. Kurt then chuckles.

“I think I’m going to get changed too. You and Mel are right, I do look ridiculous.” Kurt then walks away. Once Kurt is out of sight this leaves Glory alone with Fiona. Braddock smiles warmly at Fiona and places a hand on her shoulder.

“I am very happy to see you again, mate. I honestly wasn’t sure I would see you again so soon.”

“Well you did give me a ticket to Breakdown. Do you think I was going to miss my favorite wrestler compete for the World Title of SCW? Me and Mel are going to be there cheering you on.”

“That’s great, Fiona. I will need all the support I can get.” Braddock pauses for a tense moment, not sure if she wants to bring up the elephant in the room. Finally she musters the courage and sighs deeply. “But uh, what about the other thing?”

“Oh you mean me moving in with you?”

“Yeah, that.”

Fiona smiles. “I admit, it was a tough decision. And I admit that I am still nervous and scared about Todd tracking me down and stalking me. But I decided that I could not live in fear any longer. I could not let fear run my life. That’s not what you would do. I am going to face my fears head on, even if it means facing them alone.”

“You won’t have to face them alone, mate.” Glory embraces Fiona in a tight hug. “You have me.”

Braddock feels at peace as she hugs Fiona tightly. What does it mean to be a Braddock? What does it mean to be Glory Braddock? It isn’t just about being the best wrestler but it is also about being the best human being, the best person. She will do her best to help Fiona. And on Breakdown, she looks forward to helping restore credibility and dignity back to the SCW World Championship, and hopefully in the process become a two time SCW World Champion.

==========
February 16th, 2022
Miami, Florida
On Camera
==========

The camera begins to roll. We are on a beach in Miami, Florida just five hours or so away from Tampa where SCW Breakdown will take place. The sun is shining brightly overhead and we hear the sounds of the waves lapping on the shoreline. A few moments later and we see “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock stepping into the scene from stage left. She is wearing a floral print purple sun dress. She has a hat on her head and she is walking barefoot in the sands. Sunglasses cover her eyes.

“Selena Frost, the SCW World Champion, a woman whose passion for this business and respect for this business rivals even my own. We may come from different backgrounds, we may have different lifestyles and different philosophies, but one thing we agree upon is that professional wrestling is sacred. The spirit of competition is sacred. It must be respected and honored. Only the best can wear the SCW World Championship. I know because I have been there. I had a brief taste of what that felt like. People can call it a fluke, people can say it doesn’t really count, people can put an asterisk next to it for all I care, but there is no denying that it was Glory Braddock who defeated Bree Lancaster and ended her reign as SCW World Champion.”

Glory stops and points a finger at the camera. “You are currently the very best in SCW right now. There is no denying that. People like Holly Adams can make excuses, people like Kimberly Williams can gripe and complain all they want about never getting their chance, but the fact is that you are the best and until someone takes that championship away from you, then you are the best. That’s who you are right now. That’s your legacy right now. But my legacy? My legacy is finding the very best wrestler in whatever company I am contracted to wrestle for, I beat them, and I become the best.”

She chuckles lightly. “You want to talk about legacies. You want to talk about MY legacy in particular. Well I don’t want my legacy in SCW to be that one world title run that lasted a few minutes before I lost it to Chris Cannon in the gauntlet match. Not that my legacy is bad. Hell, I could step away from SCW right now and I would have accomplished more than most in SCW would have ever achieved. I have been Adrenaline Champion, back to back Trios Tournament winner, I main evented Rise To Greatness, and I was a former SCW World Champion even though it did last for a fleeting moment. But my father did not raise me to be content with what I had. He taught me that as a competitor I should always be seeking a new challenge. He taught me that when you start believing that you have done everything that there is to do and achieved everything that there is to achieve then your career is over. He taught me to always seek out tougher challenges. He taught me to always test myself. You want to talk about the best wrestlers in the world? The best wrestlers are those who refuse to be content. And I refuse to be content with what I have achieved so far in Supreme Championship Wrestling.”

“You think that this is do or die for you, you think that you HAVE to win this; is that what you think, Selena?” Glory chuckles and shakes her head. “You’re wrong. Your history with this company is safe and secure. No matter what happens in this match between you and I in Tampa, your legacy with Supreme Championship Wrestling is secure. Because you are right, you really are The Face of SCW. When people think of Selena Frost and SCW they think of your impressive four reigns as SCW World Champion. Regardless of whatever controversies that may have happened during those four reigns, your impressive run will outshine them all. You can lose and you will be just fine.”

Braddock sighs and shakes her head. “I really cannot afford to lose this. Championship opportunities do not come by very often in this business, you and I both know this. I lost my first title opportunity at Rise To Greatness in a triple threat. My first one on one opportunity was against David Helms and again I lost. My third championship opportunity came in the gauntlet match and I actually became champion, only to have fate bitch slap me, because I had to turn right around and defend it against Chris Cannon and minutes later I lost the title. Now I have yet another championship match, my fourth world title opportunity and my second ever straight up one on one match. No bloody triple threat, no stupid gauntlet, just me and you. How often am I going to get an opportunity like this? Hell, Double Jeopardy? Even if I make it to Double Jeopardy and Retribution, that’s chaos waiting to happen. This match in Tampa, one on one against you, that is my best chance, my best opportunity to defeat you and become SCW World Champion.”

“But more importantly, Snow Queen, if I do lose, if you do manage to retain the title in Tampa, then my legacy here in Supreme Championship Wrestling is relegated to a title reign that lasted just a few minutes. So go ahead Selena, paint yourself in the position of a desperate champion, paint yourself as a champion who has to win. The fact is that you do not have to win in order for your reputation and your legacy to be protected…” Braddock takes her hat off and tosses it aside. She takes off her sunglasses and casts them aside as well. There is a look of intensity in her eyes. “...what you fail to recognize is that my reputation is on the line! While your championship is on the line, my legacy is on the line! You could lose your championship but your legacy would be safe and protected. But I NEED this win, Frost!”

Braddock nods her head. “Go ahead, though. Try and put yourself in that position. Paint yourself as the desperate champion who needs to win. The truth and the facts are not in your corner. But say it, say it again, Selena…over your dead body? Fine. We can do it that way if you want, because you will have to kill me in order to stop me. Every Glass Shard and I will keep getting back up, every Defying Gravity, and I will keep getting back up, hit me with everything you have in your arsenal, Frost, keep striking me until I have drawn my last breath because that is what you will have to do in order to retain the championship.”

A sinister grin forms on the lovely British Bombshell’s face. “You can trust me when I say that I will do the same to you. I will drop you on your head with Glorification if I have to, I will choke the life out of you with Shekhinah Glory if I have to, because this truly is a MUST WIN for me! I cannot and will not be content with anything except a pin fall or submission victory over you to become the NEW SCW World Champion! Because being content? That isn’t the Braddock legacy. That isn’t what it means to be a Braddock. Being a Braddock means being the best when it counts. And in Tampa, Florida you will quickly realize what everyone who has ever stepped in the ring against me has realized…that I am one of the very best wrestlers in the world today. Defeating you for the championship and going on to defend it successfully at Retribution, restoring honor and credibility to the championship, that will be my legacy here in SCW.” Glory shuts her eyes tightly.

“Sic Semper Tyrannis…” Glory Braddock opens her eyes and the camera locks in upon her determination, a steely eyed determination and intensity that tells the story of a woman who will not give in and will not relent. The British Bombshell turns and slowly walks away. The camera fades to black.

Nome Airport
Nome, Alaska
February 15th, 2022
9:08am

Her eyes were closed but she wasn’t asleep, her mind simply drifting in the quiet buzz of noise that filled that airport. She could hear the beeps and whistles of some of the screens and machines, the noisy mess of words from people that sat and passed them, concerned only with their own travels than the two women that sat in the waiting dock, the music playing somewhere – maybe it was someone’s phone being too loud (inconsiderate as that was) or maybe it was playing overhead by the airport itself. It was all white noise to Selena as she gently held the smaller woman in her arms, the redhead leaning against her tired frame, the quietest of snores coming from her nose.

They were both exhausted and had only themselves to blame. They had spent the weekend dealing with the makeshift “Superbowl Party” they had put together for Kai and Gerda – it was the least they could do for them after all the elderly couple had done for them over the years. The old man, Kai, rarely abused the hospitality of the Frost family, but when it came to sporting events? Even his wife, Gerda, had to roll her eyes at her husband’s antics. He had desperately wanted to watch the event on a big-screen television, which the Frost family had… of course when Selena had offered to have it viewed in their ”theatre-room” with the 120” screen, the poor man had almost had a heart attack – Selena quietly smiled at that memory. She would have to apologize to Gerda again as soon as she returned from Tampa later this week.

From the party, they had spent Monday packing and training, Selena wanting to get in one more solid workout before her match with Glory Braddock for the World Championship – a match she was still beyond nervous about, but she didn’t wish to dwell too much on that in her present circumstances. The pair, after saying goodnight and goodbye to their children and putting them to bed, had made their way to the private airport in the early hours of the morning/late hours of the night. For a second, Selena’s ears picked up the howling sounds of the storm outside, the sound of the wind growing louder, probably because someone had opened the door – the feeling of a breeze caressing her cheek confirmed that and she felt the young woman shiver a little in her arms, forcing her to gently tighten her arms around her, her hands gently rubbing Deanna’s arms and back, careful not to wake her.

It was as if the storm from Manhattan had followed them, perpetually hanging high over their heads as they made their way to Nome, strong enough to slow their plane for two hours and keep the Frost women awake for most of the flight. Even as they had disembarked from their plan, the wives had been surrounded by a snow-storm, much to the chagrin of the Kentucky-born redhead.  

In short, they were tired and grumpy, and as soon as they had called Zelda Evers to pick them up, Deanna had literally crashed on Selena’s shoulder, which was their current position. 

“Selena…Deanna…” the voice drifted into Selena’s ears, prompting the Snow Queen to open her eyes to see the smiling brunette standing before her. She was dressed in a colorful toque of reds and black and a long, light-brown jacket. There was little to no snow on her, not surprising considering the parking lot was just outside. Under normal circumstances (and depending how much they were carrying), upon arriving in Nome, the Frost ladies would have simply walked the 30-40 minutes necessary from the airport to the main ‘sector’ of Nome, which was to say the majority of Nome. However, the young Zoe would not hear of it, the snowstorms having, apparently, been raging through Nome all week. 

The young secretary smiled as Selena’s eyes focused on her. “Thank you for coming.” She whispered, her blue-white eyes settling on Deanna. “Should I?” 

“No, it’s okay.” Smiled the Snow Queen as she moved her head a little. Gently, she pressed her lips to Deanna’s crown, her hand rubbing her beloved wife’s arm a little briskly. “Deanna…” she whispered soothingly. “Gotta wake up now.” 

The redhead gave a low, soft hum, prompting Selena to lean her head down, pressing her lips to her wife’s warm forehead, which prompted a sharp intake of breath from Deanna, her whole body shifting and moving as the younger woman awoke. A loud yawn escaped her as she lifted her head and, instinctively, closed the short distance needed to press a gentle kiss to Selena’s lips. “Okay…” she sighed, pulling herself to her full ‘sitting-height’ and stretching her limbs out – Selena heard a loud pop in her wife’s spine, the platinum-blonde’s face wincing a little at the sound. With brisk huff, Deanna shook off the remaining ‘cobwebs’ before her eyes settled on the third woman standing before them.

“Hi, Zoe.” She smiled with a tired expression. “How’s the weather? Did it suddenly get warm and pleasant?”

“Not in the twenty-four years I’ve been here.” Laughed Zoe as she waited for the wives to get to their feet. Quietly, Selena adjusted her blanket-coat of bluish-green, which complimented her blue jeans and black turtleneck. She stopped, however, as Deanna’s warm hand ghosted over her shoulder to remove a stay, red strand of hair that sat on the Snow Queen’s shoulder. Dismissing it to the ground by dropping it, Deanna offered her wife a kind smile, allowing Selena to take in the younger woman’s own choice of clothes: dark gray pants, matching shirt all to accentuate the maroon jacket she wore. Her eyes drifting down, Selena caught sight of the necklace and pendant Deanna wore – the dark red dragon protecting the large snowflake in the background, an adaptation of her Frost family crest (similar to the pendant Selena wore under her shirt, except the dragon was blue and on the opposite side of the snowflake).

“Okay…” Deanna sighed, pumping herself up. “We just gotta make it from the door to the car – easy!”
“It’s not that cold-“ both Zelda and Selena replied at the same time.
“Says the resident penguins.” Deanna scoffed before turning on her foot. “AND…LET’S GO!” she proclaimed, marching towards the door until she stepped out of it, to the surprise of the remaining two women.

“Thank goodness we didn’t bring any bags.” Selena half-laughed, half-huffed, as she walked after her wife, Zoe following her.
“You’re not staying longer than a day?” came the question from the brunette.  
“You know we can’t.” Selena sighed with a shake of her head. “We have to get to Tampa by Thursday, and that has to include time zone differences, remember?”

“Right…” the secretary nodded her head before casting a glance to Selena. “Thank you for coming, though.” She remarked. “But…” her eyes flew to the door Deanna had ‘bolted’ out of. “I’m not sure it was wise to bring Deanna-“

“Doesn’t matter.” Selena quickly stated, turning her head to gaze at her friend and distant cousin, the warning in her sapphire eyes matching the tone in her voice. “She’s here with me. Jean can either ‘deal with it’ or we can hop on the plane and be out of here in an hour.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.” The shorter woman, Zoe, held up her hands quickly. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“It’s not that.” Selena sighed, trying to quell her irritation – perhaps heightened by her exhaustion. “I’m just done not involving her, Zelda.” Selena admitted. “We have a good talk a few nights ago and I realized that, for all I have tried to involve her in my life since her release… there’s still so much I’m being asked to ‘keep her out of’… and I’m tired of it.”

“Does she know about Black Ice then? And the inheritance?”

“Of course she does.” Selena scoffed. “I told her as soon as I learned of both. You think I would hide something that big from her?”
“No…I just…” Zoe sighed. “Nevermind. You’ll see when you get there.”

“Speaking of there…” Selena started, working her lower lip with her teeth. “Can you tell me what this is all about? Jean was his usual ‘vague’ self and it’s been rather unnerving not understanding why we couldn’t do this over a Zoom call. Is it about ‘Project Black Ice’?”

“I’m sorry, but no.” Zelda sighed, shaking her head. “We’ve been burning through Malcolm’s files with Talia every day and…there’s just so much.”
“Not surprising.” The wrestler sighed. “He basically went through thirty years in politics without being questioned.” 
“And it’s all buried in subsidies and shell companies… even Jean is getting cross-eyed looking through it some days.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” Selena sighed. “He already had so many skeletons in his closet when he first came here, clearly he knew how to cover them up.”

“We’ll find something eventually.” She heard Zelda assure her. 
“I hope so.” Selena added wistfully. “But if it isn’t about Black Ice, then what is so important that we had to be here and-“

As she spoke, Selena pushed open the door to exit the airport and enter its parking lot, though she was barely able to register the cold and strong winds whipping her hair around because she immediately heard the loud yell.

“COME ON!” 

The cry came a fraction of a second before her hand was immediately grabbed by Deanna’s hands, the redhead practically yanking the taller woman towards the black Honda civic a few yards away. “I am freezing!” Deanna added. “Zoe, unlock the door!”

“Come on, Deanna.” Laughed Selena, temporarily distracted by her wife’s antics. “It’s not even the coldest it’s been here. It was colder during Malcolm’s funeral.”

“And I was cold then too!” countered Deanna as she heard the car locks click, her free hand reaching out to pull open the door as she practically leapt into the vehicle. Immediately, her hands re-found Selena’s and the younger Frost pulled the platinum-blonde inside, Selena barely able to get a ‘Whoa!’ sound as she closed the door behind her. Immediately, Deanna was pressing herself up against her wife, small hands clinging to Selena’s coat and shirt. 

“Warm…” Deanna shivered, nestling close to the taller woman. “Warm me up. Warm me up. Warm me up.” She begged in a whisper, earning a bout of laughter from Selena, who quickly began rubbing her wife’s body with her hands.
“Such a baby.” Selena teased. “Can’t stand a little cold, but you married a Snow Queen.”

“My decisions in life have not always been deemed as ‘smart’.” Deanna grumbled, her shivering slowly easing as Zoe got into the car and immediately turned it and the heater on to aid Selena’s ministrations. “We both know my heart sometimes does the thinking for me.”
“Thank Odin for that.” Selena whispered, leaning down to kiss her wife’s cold cheek, followed by her nose and forehead, the platinum-blonde trying to warm her wife’s face with playful kisses.

They felt the car shift and jolt before beginning to move, driving them out of the parking lot and down the main street that would take them to the main center of Nome within minutes. Still, Selena took care to keep rubbing her hands against her wife’s form until she felt the shivers subside and Deanna’s breathing calm. With a long exhale, the redhead lifted herself up to fully sit in the leather seating beside her wife, the sound of the storm outside quite loud.

“I hope the children are staying inside.” Sighed Deanna, her eyes gazing out the window to the massive clumps of snow falling from the skies.
“I doubt Gerda would let them play outside if the storms were as bad as this.” Selena tried, squeezing Deanna’s hands with her own.

The younger Frost gave a nod before turning her attention to the driver. “Zoe…” she asked, prompting the brunette to shoot a quick gaze to the rear-view mirror to acknowledge the passenger. “Ummm… Not to put you on the spot or anything, but…” Deanna tried, biting her lower lip to reconsider her wording. “But couldn’t we have done this over Zoom?”

“Well…that’s the thing.” Zelda sighed as she turned a corner, immediately pulling into a driveway – Are we there already? Selena’s mind shot as she looked around, recognizing the building that was Jean Black’s workplace as Zelda continued to speak. “The plan was just to do things through Zoom but….recent developments have made that unwise… I rather let Jean explain it.”

“Oh that’s comforting.” Deanna replied. “Remind me to punch him in the arm for wanting me to stay at home.” She grumbled to Selena. “If it’s that dire, I would rather be here.”

“Even in the cold-“ Selena tried to joke, but a jerk of the head and an emerald glare from her wife shut her up instantly, the seriousness of Deanna’s words striking full force. Taking a slow breath, Selena lifted the one hand of Deanna’s she held to gently kiss the fingers. “I’m glad you’re here.” She whispered so only her wife could hear.

“Good save.” Deanna whispered back, though her eyes shone protectively as she gazed at Selena just as the car was turned off. 
“Ready?” Zoe’s question drifted to the back, earning a sigh from Selena.
“Yeah.” The wrestler prompted. “Let’s get this over with.”

Immediately, the older Frost opened the door, removing herself from the vehicle. Again, she was met wit the strong winds and flurries of the storm. Carefully helping Deanna out of the car, the two followed Zoe up the steps and onto the porch where the door was immediately opened before they reached it.

“Come on!” declared the accented, sharp voice of Jean Black as he stood there, his one hand on the door handle and the other on his cane. He wore he typical suit of black with a dark-blue tie that didn’t quite match to Selena, but who was she to judge in terms of color sensibilities. The detective beckoned the trio inside and Zelda was prompt to enter first, already removing her coat by the time Selena and Deanna had entered. “You know coats can go on the rack.” He gestured to the tall, dark-red wooden stand by the door with his cane. 

“Thank you.” Selena replied automatically, removing Deanna’s coat first before removing her own. “By the way, Jean – Deanna’s gonna punch you in the arm sometime today.”
“She what?” Jean barely had the time to speak before a small fist jabbed him in the arm opposite to the one holding the cane. “Owww…” he glared at the redhead.

“Hi, Jean.” Deanna smiled, though her eyes narrowed at the older man. “Don’t ever leave me out of shit again.”
A long sigh escaped the suited man, and he gave a slow shake of his head. “Well, if you want to learn things the hard way-“
“Always.” Deanna countered before returning to her wife’s side, taking the Snow Queen’s arm in her hands. “Now what is going on?”

Hearing all of this, the platinum-blonde took a moment to take delight in her wife taking charge. Clearly, the redhead was far more annoyed than Selena was about jumping on a plane, flying ten hours through a snowstorm to ‘super cold’ Nome. Yes, she, herself, would much rather be on her way to Tampa, getting there early to train for her upcoming World title defense against Glory (which she was certain the ‘British Bombshell’ was doing), but there was an understanding in her that Deanna seemed to be presently lacking. Was her wife worried about whatever it was Jean needed them for? Was she worried about Selena being distracted by this with such an important Breakdown match only days away? Or was it a combination of both? The platinum-blonde couldn’t be sure, but it was enough for her to reach out to gently take her wife’s hand into hers. “Deanna…” she whispered, trying to calm the shorter De. “Let’s get everyone settled in before-“

Her words froze as she gazed up, her eyes catching movement beyond where Jean stood. Behind him was the ‘sitting room’, complete with a roaring fireplace and several comfy couches – but it was the people standing there that caught her attention.

First, in a rather nice blue suit stood Talia Scythe, the lawyer waiting patiently to be acknowledged, which Selena would have done had it not been for the second person standing beside her. The man also wore a suit, but his was black with a white dress shirt underneath. Along with Jean, the trio looked quite ‘formal’ when compared to the trio of Selena, Deanna and Zelda.

“Oh this can’t be good.” Selena remarked, her eyes jumping from Jean, to Talia, to Gavin Scythe. “I’m actually scared to ask at this point…”

“Why don’t you come inside?” Gavin offered kindly. “We’ve got the fire going and there’s tea and hot chocolate-“

“You had me at hot chocolate.” Deanna stated bravely – as if to prove something, Selena remarked silently – the redhead marching past Jean and into the room without hesitation. Again, Selena and Zelda merely followed, keeping quiet as they entered the comfortable room. As everyone took their seats, Zelda sat next to Jean on a small couch and Selena waiting for Deanna to return to her (the younger woman having made them hot chocolates in little time at all) to sit on a larger couch. Gavin and Talia took their place on single seats of leather, similar to the one is Selena’s office…

Wish we were there now… rebuilding that pillowfort after David destroyed it. Selena thought, her eyes drifting down to find Deanna’s, emerald orbs telling her that the redhead was thinking the exact same thing.

A moment of silence followed the six occupants, the only sound that of the roaring fire that crackled just beyond the furniture they all sat on.
 
“So…” Selena tried, the platinum-blonde trying to break the silence and tension. “Is someone going to talk, because Deanna and I have to head over to Tampa tonight…”
 
“I’m sorry.” The apology, surprisingly came from Gavin Scythe, the youngest son of Malcom Scythe, his gaze focused on his hands as he leaned over his knees. “I’m the one that came to Jean and asked him to get in touch with you.” He took a long inhale and exhale. “I suppose the best way to start is at that the beginning.”. He took another deep breath. “Ryan has begun his campaign to be the next mayor of Nome.”
 
While the general reaction for anyone else would have been a shrug of the shoulders and a dismissive “So?” or “So what?”, no such sound came from either Frost. Instead, their eyes widened and they could hear the other take a sharp inhale of air, a quiet gasp that belied how uncomfortable such news was. Slowly, sapphire eyes rested on the dark-brown eyes of her former best friend, Talia. The lawyer gave a slow nod, as if to confirm Gavin's statement.
 
“Are you alright?” came Selena’s voice automatically. “I don’t want to sound rude but you being here speaks more than Gavin being here.” She felt Deanna give a small nod of her head.
 
“Short answer?” Talia replied, throwing her hair back, Selena temporarily envying its length, her free hand reaching up to trace along the braid her wife had tied fir her before arriving in Nome, a gesture Selena had returned by making two thinner braids for Deanna and tying them around her head in a sort of mermaid-crown fashion. “No.” the curt response snapped Selena back to the present. “He’s always been obsessed with succeeding Malcom as mayor of Nome, but he’s dumping so much money – more than we planned! And he’s acting…”
 
The woman released a long say, appearing so much older in that moment despite being the same age as Selena. “It’s almost frightening.” Talia admitted. “I’ve seen him burning through Malcolm’s old contacts book, he’s gone out all hours of the night- I don’t…” another sign escaped her. “I can’t just ignore all of it.” She shook her head, her dark eyes scanning her entire audience. “I don’t know what he plans to do if he becomes mayor but I don’t like it.”
 
Another moment of silence passed, the group processing Talia’s assessment until it was Selena’s voice that broke it again. “Back when we were in Serpentine Springs…” she started, “He spoke about taking over as mayor and… he said that, once he did, he’d be re-evaluating his rights as the biological father of Elsianna and David.”
 
The rest were stunned, all eyes on the SCW world champion. “You…you don’t believe-“ Deanna started only for Selena turn her gaze to her wife and interject.
 
“That he’ll restart the war and try and take our children from us again?” Selena huffed a short breath in despair. “I didn’t until we were told that Malcolm left them a fortune in his will.”
 
As if remembering that detail, a groan escaped from Deanna, the smaller woman dropping her forehead against Selena’s shoulder.
 
“I can’t believe he’d do that.” Growled Gavin, his eyes nowhere in focus. “Estranged or not, he’s their father.”
“That man was never their father-“ Selena spat out. “They are Deanna’s and mine children.”
 
His eyes flying up to regard the Snow Queen, Gavin quickly rose his hands up. “No, that isn’t what I meant.” He spoke quickly. “I meant… he should be happy they are safe and cared for… not try and wreck their lives.”
 
It was enough to calm Selena enough, the platinum-blonde sitting back against her seat, Deanna rubbing the pale hand of the Snow Queen with both hands gently.
 
“Ryan has always craved power.” Talia remarked. “At least as long as I’ve known him. He was groomed to be Malcolm’s successor.”
“While Gavin was meant to be traded off to marry Selena if I recall.” Jean remarked sharply, causing both Selena and the youngest Scythe to awkwardly regard one another.
 
Still, Talia’s remark unnerved Selena. HAD Ryan Scythe always craved power? Back when he was ‘Adrian’, Selena’s fiancee and best friend, he had been kind, loving, ambitious, sure, but no different than her father had been in his search for gold in the mine. Had that been real at all or had ‘Adrian’ simply been a mask, a means to an end for Ryan to further endear himself to his father by doing what Gavin could not where Selena was concerned? It sounded unreal but Selena had spent eight years in a world where people could change their morals and ethics at the drop of a hat – where integrity was as expendable as change in a pocket. Wasn’t that what she had been fighting for so long against? For the survival and thriving of integrity, especially with the world title and SCW representation? Even with someone like Glory, who had traded her morals on more than one occasion, there was no promise that she would stay her current course.
 
Was integrity just that easy to 'give up’ to achieve one’s ends? Selena wasn’t sure.
 
“So what are we supposed to do?” Came Deanna’s voice, gaining the platinum-blonde’s attention. “I mean, you guys are the ones living in Nome, so I imagine this is something you want even less than we do.”
“Well there is a plan…” Gavin started, his hands fidgeting nervously. “But we’re up against a lot of momentum. Everyone in Nome knows that Ryan was being groomed as Malcolm’s successor.”
 
Selena nodded head. Hell, even in her dark days living in Nome, she had known of Adrian’s ‘destiny’. “Convincing the town to change something they’ve accepted for years would not be busy – especially in the wake of Malcolm’s death.”
 
“Right.” Nodded Jean but his voice held a tone that seemed to indicate that he had expected this line of reasoning from Selena. “But what if we didn’t change their ‘expectations’ too much… just which particular ‘Scythe’ took the mayoral ‘throne’?”
 
Once more, emerald and sapphire eyes widened, both airs flying in their gaze towards the young man shyly sitting on his chair, looking back at them.
 
“You?” Selena asked, observing Gavin.
The young man gave a nod.
“Wow…” the Snow Queen remarked. “That’s…I didn’t expect that.”
 
“Do you disagree?”
 
The question came from Gavin, and Selena could hear the tinge of sadness laced within it. Shifting her focus back to him, she instantly spotted how his expression had fallen, his head hung a little lower, thinking that the Frost women thought ill of such a notion as him as a mayoral candidate. Quickly, Selena gave a quick shake of her head.
 
“No! Of course not! I’m just surprised is all. You never struck me as having a care for politics.”
“I studied privately – sort of a backup for Ryan…” Gavin admittedly glumly. “Never thought I’d be using it against him.”
“Can you?” came Deanna, eyeing both Gavin and Talia. “Go against him, I mean. He’s your brother and your wife.” She gestured to them both.
 
Talia was the first to answer, taking a deep breath before doing so. “I… we…” she sighed, shaking her head. “Every instinct tells me that him becoming mayor is wrong. That it will bring so much bad here… on all of us.”
 
“I love my brother.” Gavin added. “But none of us can ignore how he’s changed the past year. And to give him the power our father wielded… no…” he also shook his head, though more vigorously than Talia had. “I forced myself to look the other way for many things my father did. I won’t do that again with Ryan.”
 
“Well that’s well and good.” Selena remarked, her sapphire eyes scanning the other people in the room. “But that still leaves a few questions. Why did you need me here just to tell me that?”
“And why was I asked to stay away?” Deanna added seamlessly.
 
The other four people in the room stared at one another for what felt like an hour, the eyes of the Frost wives staring them down, awaiting answers to their questions. Slowly, Gavin returned his focus to them, his hands patting an irregular pattern on his knees.
 
“When we decided that I would run for mayor against Ryan, I posted some feelers out on Twitter and Instagram. Hypothetical stuff to gauge response from None citizens…” Slowly, he pulled out his cellphone, touching the screen with his fingers several times to unlock it and direct it. “Twenty minutes later, this popped up in my email.”
 
Carefully, he passed the phone over to Selena, who took it and turned it towards herself in order to read the screen aloud. “You don’t fit into my plans. Remove yourself from them or be removed. Ask your father if I am so capable…or ask Selena Frost.”

Despite herself, Selena felt that sickening cold grip her. The kind that froze her spine and made her jaw clench. A cold that only one person could create in her now – the only other person capable of doing so being dead for months…

“Killjoy.” Selena whispered, her eyes flashing back up to see the grim expression of Gavin Scythe, his lips forming a fine line as he nodded his head.
“I have every reason to think so. That or Ryan is playing a VERY poor prank on me.”

“Wait…” Deanna asked, raising her free hand to the young man. “You know about Killjoy?”
“Given the circumstances…” Jean explained, slightly changing his position in his chair. “I believed it best to tell him. We know that, should Killjoy truly wish to eliminate Gavin, he very well could with little difficulty.”

“Which begs the question…” Selena whispered, though she was heard by everyone in the room. “Why warn him?” her eyes flew back over to Gavin. “Why give any warning at all? It’s not like Killjoy cares about the Scythe family. He killed Malcolm when it suited him.” She spied Gavin’s hands tightening into fists at the mention of his father’s death. Still, she continued, “So why warn Gavin? Why not just eliminate him and be done with it? He’s permanently out of the way, guaranteed…”

“I…” Gavin tried, shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably. “I hope you’re not projecting here, Selena… I know I wasn’t-“
“Calm down, please, Gavin.” Selena ordered. “I’m just stating observations here. It’s just so much of this doesn’t make sense.”
“And that still doesn’t answer my question.” Deanna added, crossing her arms over her chest.

Slowly, Jean leaned forward, his hands still on his cane. “May I tell you the conclusion we all have drawn? It will explain the full reason you are here and…” his eyes moved to Deanna. “And explain why I didn’t wish for Deanna to be here.”
“Least you’re admitting it.” Deanna replied, her eyes a mixture of hurt and frustration.

“The truth is that you are the only person that will disagree with what I am about to say, Deanna. And the only person that could, potentially, change Selena’s mind once I tell her.”
“That’s a bold assumption.” Laughed the redhead. “That Selena would agree with you.”
“Not quite an assumption.” Jean shook his head sadly. “In fact, I’ll wager that when I’m done explaining, not only will Selena want to agree with us – she might even want to help us.”

“Okay…” Selena blew out a shot of breath in a huff. “I’ll believe that when you tell me.”

“Very well.” Jean replied, sitting back in his chair. “We all made the same assessment you made, Selena. About this ‘Killjoy’ and warning Gavin. And the fact is that there was only one explanation that possibly made sense. He actually WANTS Gavin to run for mayor – and he wants you to know that he’s watching it all.”

“Uh-huh.” Selena nodded her head. “And…why?”

“Chaos?” Talia offered. “What better way to throw Nome into a tizzy by making the Scythe’s sons take on one another? Split the town politically speaking?”
“And the death threat?” Deanna asked.
“Brought Selena here, didn’t it? We were worried about Killjoy listening in on this – now she’s here and in the thick of things.” Jean rationalized.

“But that doesn’t mean I’ll help.” Selena stated with a shrug of her shoulders.
“That’s just it.” Came the voice of Zelda. “I think Killjoy is manipulating all of us to do this.”
“What?” Selena asked, her eyes widening a little.

“Well, think about it.” Zoe tried. “Talia said Ryan’s pushing this campaign aggressively with no explanation. What if that was because of Killjoy? What if Killjoy knew that we’d hate the idea of Ryan Scythe as mayor and would strive to stop it. Throw in a death threat with YOUR name on it, specifically, Selena.” She gestured to the Snow Queen. 

“Are you suggesting we are playing into this bastard’s hands?” Selena asked. “Because I want no part in that.”
“We’re suggesting we play into his hands up to a point.” Jean explained. “What do we know of this person? That he wants us to find out the truth about this ‘Black Ice’, whatever it is, and that he ‘wants’ Gavin to stay away from competing with his brother. But the two actions contradict each other. One is blackmail, meant to inhibit. The other was done arrogantly – encouraging you to look… unless we’re right and that death threat was meant to encourage Gavin rather than hinder him. Then it makes all the sense in the world-“

“So you want to poke the bear?!” 

The voice came from Deanna, who was suddenly on her feet, pacing back and forth – when had she stood up?! Selena thought. “I’m sorry, but… you’re crazy, okay? You’re saying you’ll play along when the options are either Killjoy will kill Gavin or we play right into his hands?! That’s a lose-lose! And you want Selena to stick her head right into the thick of that? Right into the lion’s maw?! No!”

“Deanna…” Selena was suddenly on her feet, trying to slow her wife’s pacing, catching her with her arms. “They’re just going through ideas.”

The redhead cast her eyes upward towards the taller Frost. “Please tell you’re not considering helping-“
“This is why I didn’t want you to come.” Deanna heard Jean whisper, but chose to ignore him than spat a comeback at him.

Selena, meanwhile, had retreated to the inner workings of her mind, trying to process everything she had just heard. In truth, everything Gavin, Jean, Talia, and Zelda said made sense. A death threat seemed too out of character for Killjoy. Like Holly Adams “giving back the world title” last month – a mere misdirection to a far more sinister purpose. THAT was how Killjoy was!

No, he must have known this would only spur Gavin on. He was a Scythe, after all, their pride on the same level as the Frosts. Selena could respect that about the young man sitting a little ways off from where she stood. 

Still… Deanna also had some good points. To defy Killjoy’s ‘order’ was to invite him to act whenever he wanted – daring him to kill Gavin. It be keeping the ball in his court, and Selena desperately wanted it to be in theirs for once! She wanted to be in control for once, much in the same way she wanted to have this match with Glory in a few days – if only to restore integrity to the SCW World title for a moment!

But this was a lose-lose for them initially – Deanna was certainly right about that. They couldn’t possibly let Ryan become mayor – the idea, alone, seemed monstrous to Selena, almost as terrifying as Malcolm being the mayor…

“Deanna…” she whispered again. “We can’t just do nothing.” She sighed, reaching up to caress her wife’s face. “We can’t just let Ryan become mayor. You know that.”

“I know, but….” Deanna bit her lower lip, turning her head back towards the others. She hadn’t forgotten her wife’s earlier assessment of Ryan’s goals when it came to their children – to get his hands on the millions of dollars of inheritance for Elsianna and David. The very fact that Ryan’s own wife, Talia, was there spoke volumes to the redhead as well. 

No… Ryan Scythe – for the good of the people in Nome alone – could NOT become its mayor. But that would mean playing ball with Killjoy! 

“I hate this!” Deanna half-growled, half-whined. “I hate this so damn much!”
“I do too.” Sighed Selena, reaching up to wrap her arms around her beloved, holding her close. “But we don’t have any choice in the matter.”

Casting her own gaze towards the others, she saw the sad, almost guilty expressions on their faces. They knew… she realized, more out of sadness than any anger or betrayal. The four of them, Jean to Gavin – they knew this would be the outcome before Selena and Deanna had even stepped foot in Nome. They knew that the Frost would have to agree to joining this ‘effort’ of theirs, especially with Ryan’s goals and Killroy, himself, in the works.

With a sigh, Selena backed away from Deanna to fully regard the others. “What exactly do Deanna and I do in all of this? What’s our part?”
“Well…” Jean started. “I didn’t really plan a part for Deanna-“

“Okay!” Deanna huffed. “I’m putting a stop to this right now.” Emerald eyes glared at Jean, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his seat. “Here on out? If Selena is involved? You plan for my involvement. Understand?”
“But-“
“That wasn’t a ‘but’ question, Valjean.” Deanna shot back, her eyes narrowing. “I am done with all of you trying to keep me in the dark or trying to force Selena to do the same. I am A PART of all of this whether you like it or not! Selena and I are a team. She is my wife, we have children together – WE. ARE. A. FAMILY.” She stressed every last word.

“And if you don’t believe her…” came Selena’s voice, matching Deanna’s in its darker tone. “I’ve got no problems walking out of this office with my wife, getting back on our plane, and leaving you and Nome to whatever fate Ryan and Killjoy have for it. It’s not like I owe you anything, Gavin, and you know it.”

It was Gavin’s turn, under Selena’s sapphire glare, to shift a little, nodding his head a bit. “Same goes for you.” Her eyes found Talia and then Jean. “Or you. Take advantage of our history or my loyalty to you like this again? And trust me, I’ll be gone faster than a blade of grass on the ground around here.”

She felt Deanna shiver a little at the reference of snowfall and cold, but she tightened her hands around Selena as the platinum-blonde held her, the two Frost wives standing united.

Quickly, Zoe was on her feet. “We respect that.” She replied gently, reaching out to place a comforting hand on both women’s shoulder. “And we could have done this a much better way.” She tried. “And I know Jean feels the same way. Right, Jean?”

The detective could only clear his throat before quickly nodding his head, clearly not use to being scolded in such a manner. It was enough for the younger Zoe to return her gaze from her husband back to Selena and Deanna. “You know us, Selena, Deanna. Our intentions have always been good, especially when it comes to one another – we’re part of this family as much as you are part of our family. You know that, right?” she offered a quiet, gentle smile to both women.

Selena took a deep breath, eyeing all four people carefully. “Never keep my wife in the dark again or ask me to.” She warned, though its tone was certainly gentler than the last. 
“We promise.” Zelda answered quickly.
“As do I.” Gavin offered from his seat.

An awkward silence fell between the six as the Frost wives gazed at one another, sharing an unspoken conversation for a minute or two before both turned their heads back towards the group.

“So…” Selena sighed, subconsciously squeezing Deanna closer to her. “Now that we got that out of the way… what exactly is your plan here?”



*****************************************************************




The camera opens up to the interior of the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, one of the stops on the road to Retribution. It is here that SCW will host tonight’s episode of Breakdown, which will see the World title defended in its main event. For now, the arena is empty, devoid of people except for the one woman standing in the middle of the ring. She wears a leather jacket, a dark gray t-shirt, blue jeans and her medium-length platinum-blonde hair is tied in a short braid that falls just past her neck and the tops of her shoulder blades. On her shoulder rests the prestigious SCW World Championship. Sapphire eyes are downcast towards the mat she stands on within the ring.

Selena Frost vs. Glory Braddock… the words echo from the lips of Selena Frost and she lets them settle a little before she speaks again. Selena Frost vs. Glory Braddock… Selena Frost vs. Glory Braddock… Selena Frost vs. Glory Braddock… she slowly lifts her head to stare at the camera.

You put those two names together, you’re guaranteed something classic. You’re guaranteed something worthwhile. This is a matchup that is Retribution Pay-Per-View worthy – hell, I’d go as far as to say it’s Rise to Greatness worthy! – two people that want nothing more than to be the best in SCW going at it. And you throw in the very thing that, as Glory said, ‘defines being the best in SCW’, the SCW World Championship! I mean… she shakes her head, a smile forming on her face. It doesn’t get much bigger than that!

Carefully, she adjusts the title over her shoulder. This is what I’ve wanted for… for so long now, Glory. A match determined not by how many people you can have running out or how many ‘plans’ you can put together, but by how far you can go in this ring as a wrestler. How much will and passion and desire you have to become SCW World Champion.

With a tilt of her head, Selena regards her audience. But you, Glory, you made it clear that that’s what matters when it comes to this title. You made it clear that all that matters is beating the person that holds the title. That, once you hold this title… she pats the belt over her shoulder with her free hand. You are automatically the best there is in SCW. You are automatically the best of the best in SCW.

Biting her lower lip, the Snow Queen shakes her head. And that… that’s where I’ve realized a fundamental difference between you and me, Glory. But let me get some things out of the way first. Now, you clearly were listening to me when I did that Royal Letter a couple of days ago. You contested that you wanted to win this battle – win this title – more than me. That it was far more DO or DIE for you then it was for me. Now, of course, you had your reasons. Which I found amusing… a smile breaks across her beautiful features as she looks out at the empty arena, walking around the inside of the ring.

Because according to Glory Braddock, “the best wrestlers in the world refuse to be content” with what they have achieved…

She stops for a moment, turning her head back towards the camera. I actually liked that concept, Glory. The idea of never settling, never resting – I’ve used those words before too. But then, immediately after that, you said that this match wasn’t as important to me because my ‘place’ in SCW – my legacy here – was secure and I could take comfort in that…

Again, the world champion tilts her head. Well, wait a minute. I’m confused, Glory. I thought you said that ‘the best of the best’ refuses to be complacent, but then you say this match isn’t as important to me because my place in SCW is secure and I can rest easy on that? 

So… you’re either lying when you said that I’m the best in SCW, or you’re saying I’ve become complacent over my place here… and to believe either about me would be a fundamental error on your part. her tone grows cold and her eyes narrow.

Perhaps I was wrong when I thought you’d understand when I said that ‘resting on my laurels’ was something that I could never do. That isn’t me. Because I could write a book regarding how many people in this federation have said those same words, Glory. That they ‘wanted it more’ than me. That I ‘didn’t care about the world title as much as them’. Syren, Cid, Holly – hell, Cid Turner ran a damn campaign on that topic just before I beat him clean in the middle of the ring. Dozens of SCW superstars have said words so similar to yours and I proved them wrong. Words like ‘fraud’ and ‘not caring’ and ‘less passion’ and I’ve overcome them in this ring.

Over eight years I’ve been here, Glory, and there’s been a few that could knock me down but not one in SCW that could keep me down. Not one that could keep up with me at this level, at this stage of my career!

The Face of SCW shrugs her shoulders. Hell, you want to talk about complacency – how many years were you running around here telling everyone that you were “The Greatest Wrestler in the World” because you were a 14-time world champion elsewhere? How many of those reigns were a few weeks long reign? A few days? A few minutes? You never mention a single one because it’s just a number to you, Glory – the number was your focus. So, if we were talking about ‘resting on the security of one’s place in history’ then what is one more world title reign to you? Just to brag about being a ’16-time world champion’? 

I could ask that of you, Glory, but that would be a disservice to this championship because the fact that a skilled veteran like you has held this title only once in her time here speaks volumes of its place in the world – speaks volumes of this title being the pinnacle of world championships in the world of wrestling! she holds the title out towards the camera before lowering it down to her side.

The problem is that you think – just like everyone else in Double Jeopardy seems to think – that to be the best, all you have to do is win one match. All you have to do is win one title match and that is what I am trying to counter here. Hell, Holly Adams almost took this title from me because of a disqualification – am I supposed to believe that if she had, she would be the best wrestler in SCW? By your logic, Glory, that’s exactly what would be implied. How about all the times Syren did it with Infamous holding her hand and declared herself the best in the world? How about when Sienna Swann had the entire Beauty Factory/Network locked in a chamber against James Evans just to try and get the title belt off him, a handicap match with near impossible odds – would you have bent the knee and called her ‘the best wrestler in the world’ if she won the one match that gave her the title?

A sad smirk crossed the Snow Queen’s features as she slowly shakes her head. See you… you and I could go back and forth over who wants to win this one match more. You mentioned your accolades, you mentioned your name, you mentioned your legacy and your father, we could go back and forth, Glory, trying to convince the other that we want this match – this title – more than the other, Glory… you’re just confirming what I already told the SCW Universe…

I told you, I told the True Believers, I told the world that this match would be brutal. I told them this match would be ugly, it would be hard-hitting, it would be a burnburner, a five or six or a seven star match – whatever you want to call it. And that’s because we know just how much Glory Braddock wants – Glory Braddock NEEDS – to be SCW World Champion… 

I know how much this match means to you, Glory. I know how much this title means to you, Glory. I respect that you want to be SCW World champion. I respect that you want to earn this title by beating me fair and square – but until you’ve actually done it, until you’ve actually tried it at this level, at this stage, you have no idea how hard that task truly is.

Selena holds up her free hand towards the camera. I told you that there was a fundamental difference between you and me, Glory. And you summed it up in that promo of yours. To you? This isn’t about integrity. This isn’t about what the world title means to SCW. You can throw my words around all you want, you can rehash and paraphrase my promo all you want, Glory, but one thing you made absolutely clear that the only person you are concerned about tonight… is you.

She points a pale finger at the camera. I saw it in your eyes, Glory. I heard it in your voice. You are haunted. You are haunted by that moment in time. A time where you joined the history of the SCW World Championship. A moment that lasted only a few minutes. Haunted by that moment because it was over before you knew it. And all you want is to undo it. Replace it with something a bit longer, a bit better. That’s your drive, Glory. So you can push your first ‘title win’ into the vast number of your other ‘world title reigns’ and hold onto a longer one with a semblance of pride…

Lowering her arm, the world champion gives a shrug of her shoulders. Trust me when I say, I understand. I was haunted by a short world title reign myself. And unlike you, I had to sit on that for four long years. I had to deal with that being my ‘endpoint’ of world title reigns for four years. But where you and I are different, Glory, is that THAT has become your obsession. When I came back to fighting for the World title, it wasn’t to undo the past or ‘hide it away’ or ‘replace it’. I came back because the World championship was being dragged through the mud. Because the people were tired of seeing it disrespected night after night, match after match.

Where you and I are different, Glory, is that, unlike me, you ARE obsessed with hiding and replacing your past. And when we fight, you are going to be fighting only for you. YOUR legacy. YOUR history. YOUR accolades. YOUR shortcomings…

And while those may be noble goals for you and goals I can respect in several ways… that isn’t what I am fighting for. 

Casting her gaze down, Selena observes the title in her hand. I am fighting for this title. I am fighting for what it represents. Not after one match. Not after one title change but for the past, the present and the future of SCW! I am fighting to restore what this title has not had for a VERY long time! Integrity! Where the champion doesn’t become “the best” just by winning it but by taking on these matches over and over again and turning back every challenger and tactics that is thrown their way! I am fighting for each and every person sitting in the audience and every person sitting at home that is SICK of people like you that think “all I gotta do is win one match and I’ll be the best in all of SCW!”. she aggressively shakes her head, gesturing towards the empty seats in the arena. 

You may have a legacy behind you, Glory. You may have a name and a heritage beyond you but try having millions and millions of True Believers behind you screaming at the top of their lungs “We Believe! We Believe!”. You could have 100 world title reigns in your list, Glory, and you’d still fail to match their voices united in a desire to see integrity brought back to this world title! A desire to see a world champion crafted from not one but by many matches of this calibre!

Lowering the title back down, Selena stares back at the camera.

I will not disrespect your legacy, Glory. Nor will I disrespect your passion and desire to be the world champion. But neither will I believe as you do that “the best” comes from one single match. And from where we stand? With you fighting only for you? She holds up her free hand, indicating a level. It’s what puts you here… She raises her hand to a higher level. And it’s what puts me here! And if you had been against anyone else in SCW, you would BE the SCW world champion! If it was against anyone else, you would already have your second reign of world title and the people would have forgotten about the mere minutes you held that title in that gauntlet match – that is how good you are in my eyes… if you were against ANYONE else.

Because that much of a difference… she hold her fingers only a few centimeters apart. Minute on paper and on any scorecard but just enough to make ALL the difference in the world. That will be what decides tonight, Glory. That difference. That little bit more that these people, the True Believers, the SCW Universe, the will and drive that I have – that will push me to reach that level! To stand in that ring and keep going, keep fighting while that desperation that you’re so ‘proud’ to have turns to fear and grows and grows in your eyes! While you feel the World title slipping further and further away from your grasp the longer this match goes on as I keep getting back up, showing you why I am the woman that refuses to stay down – while you question everything you think you know about Selena Frost until at long last, whether it’s one Glass Shard or as many kicks as you’ve had world titles – you are knocked downed, pinned and beaten!

Lowering her arm, Selena stands in the middle of the ring. You are prepared to walk into Retribution as the world champion having won only one match. You are satisfied with that being what the defending world champion is about at Double Jeopardy… I would much rather the world title and its champion represent over ninety days of proving something so much more! I would much rather this title be brought into Retribution representing over ninety days of setting a standard that has surpassed some of the greatest names in SCW. A standard that terrifies people like Holly Adams and Kim Williams. That infuriates The Connection. The intrigues Brittany Lohan. That makes you as desperate as you wish to be. That makes the SCW Universe proud to be fans of Supreme Championship Wrestling…

And tonight, you will be part of that. You will help put this title back on the pedestal that it deserves to be on. But you won’t be wearing it, Glory. You won’t be using it for your own ego or your own insecurities. Because this title is above that – is better than that…

And you better believe the SCW World Champion is better than that! 

Believe it, Glory. Because you sure as hell aren’t going to be able to stop it!

The Snow Queen holds the world title high with pride as the camera fades to black.